Last Resort
by Skyla1
Summary: A second chance to do things right this time, it was their last way out. No one said they wouldn't screw up along the way.
1. A Handout

Disclaimer: I don't own nothing.  
  
Chapter 1: A Handout  
  
"Get out and don't come back unless you can pay up!" the burly man bellowed as he slammed the steel door shut.  
  
"Shit! I'm down to my last 100 bucks," Tsukasa muttered to himself.  
  
He picked up the meager few possessions he owned strewn over the pavement. It wasn't the first time this had happened. Actually, it was the sixth time in four months he had found himself homeless. When funds got tight and there was no way to avoid the landlords pestering any longer, he found himself picking up his dirty boxers from the gutter.  
  
"I guess it's time to start looking for a job," he sighed as he slung his duffel bag over his shoulder and began to walk down the long, narrow alleyway. It was relatively quiet in the neighborhood that night. The only sounds you could hear was the cracking of glass breaking, screaming babies, and women yelling at their husbands, boyfriends or whoever.  
  
From the corner, a dark figure emerged from the darkness behind Tsukasa. He stopped sensing someone approaching him. It wasn't the first time a man like him had approached him n the cloak of darkness and secrecy. "What do you want?" he asked in annoyance. He shifted his bag back up onto his shoulder.  
  
"Are you ready to come home yet?" the shadow gruffly asked in between the screams and the sounds of the television from the windows above. He took another step closer revealing himself dressed in a long black trench coat, sunglasses, and hat.  
  
Tsukasa indignantly stared at his reflection looking back at him in through the lenses of the sunglasses. The man's face was stoic and expressionless like all the others. For as long as he could remember, none of them ever had any distinguishing features. It was if his family mass-produced them like clones one after another. The same hair, same clothes, same dull voice. He gritted his teeth together somewhat hoping this would start a fight. "Never. Tell her to give this up. I'm never going back. I would rather die rotting on the street than go back to that bitch."  
  
The man just respectfully nodded his head. "I will tell her your message." He stepped back and immersed himself into the darkness with some inhuman grace.  
  
Tsukasa looked ahead at the dim street road ahead. The light above flickered against his face. He turned to his left and right trying to decided which way to go. The sound of a nearby gunshot made his heart jump a little. Seeing as how it came from the right he chose to turn to the left. "Man, I need a drink."  
  
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"Ugh," Tsukasa groaned as he stretched his body out against the cold, hard wooden bench. A sharp jabbing pain shot up his spine pulsing to his brain making him wince in agony. His nose crinkled at the smell of the stench burning in his nostrils. He rolled over trying to avoid the smell, but it still lingered in the air. That was when the realization hit him that the smell was coming from him. Spending the night sleeping on a park bench wasn't exactly something that would leave a person smelling like a bed of roses. It had already been two days since he had last had a shower. He spent the day before scoping out the area for some kind of work.  
  
However, he only met the same response from each prospective employer. Who would hire someone with no background information, no home address, and no references? With no money, he was forced to wander the streets in search of some refuge, which lead to his current resting place of a barren park bench. He sat upright and rubbed the sleepiness from his eyes.  
  
A little boy ran past stopping at the sight of the young homeless man. His youthful exuberance allowed his curiosities to get the better of him. He hesitantly approached him holding an apple in his hand.  
  
"Hey, mister. You can have this if you want." The boy extended the gift towards him.  
  
A gentle smile replaced the scowl on his face. It was really rather pathetic to be forced to accept charity from a child. He waved his hand as a sign of rejection to the offer, but the sudden rumble from his stomach betrayed his act of pride. "Thank you," he answered in a muffled voice.  
  
"Get away from my child,' a woman shrilly screamed snatching the little boy away. "How many times do I have to tell you to stay away from strangers?!"  
  
The little boy dumbly looked up at his panicked mother as she continued to rant on about the dangers of strangers. He turned his head around to look back at Tsukasa cheerfully waving, "Goodbye, mister!" His mother only jerked harder on his hand to yank him away.  
  
Tsukasa weakly waved back at the little boy ignoring his mother's warnings. He rubbed the smooth skin of the apple and took a large bite out of it letting the juices drip onto his hand. He greedily devoured it to the point where the core was barely left to be found. He glanced over to the direction of where the mother and child had walked away and his eyes widened at the sight of them returning. She was still screaming about something, but this time a man was beside her. Tsukasa squinted his eyes to get a better view of who was coming, and at the discovery of the man being a cop to haul his ass to jail as some kind of child molester really woke him up more than before. He grabbed his bag from under his seat and made a mad dash out of the park gates.  
  
It may sound kind of sick, but I chose this life for myself. By the way I look and smell right now, it's hard to believe that I used to live in a mansion surrounded by maids and butlers. I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth. Actually, it was pure platinum, but that's besides the point. My full name is Doumyouji Tsukasa. The name Doumyouji strike a bell? Yep, that's me Doumyouji as in Doumyouji Corp., owner of twenty five oil wells, eighteen diamond mines, thirty five television stations over the world, fifty five star worldwide Maple hotels... Yes, the list could go one for days. So, you must be wondering why the hell I am living on the street. I was just about to get to that.  
  
This year I am 23 years old. I'm a little too old to be running away form home. Up until a few moths ago, I was living what most people would call the good life. I was on my way to doing what everyone always expected me to be, the heir to a massive empire, a captain of industry. What do I do when the time for me to step up to the bat comes? I run like the dumb piece of shit my mother always said I was. Do I regret my choices? Not really.  
  
You have to understand the dynamics of my home life. This might sound a little cliché, but I really am the product of a dysfunctional family. No, I'm not trying to sound like a whiny little rich kid. Let's just say that I've spent enough years and money in therapy to be able to say, "Mother, you can not control me. I am my own man." It's always easier to say it in front of a shrink that the actual person, though. Excuse me, for getting a little ahead of myself. Let's get back to my little inner monologue. Well, I guess you could say that from the outside we were the typical Japanese nuclear family, a mother, father, daughter, and a son. Growing up in this picture perfect family wasn't always the easiest thing in the world. My father was never the sitcom father who worked 9-5 to come home to a hot dinner cooked by his loving wife. I rarely ever saw my father. He was always abroad in some country doing whatever it was that he did. I don't think I ever spoke more than 10 words to him in one sitting. In the last 23 years of my life, the only times I had ever spoken to him was during the annual birthday or Christmas phone call where he would just absent mindedly wish me luck on my future endeavors. It was always the same vague crap. He probably read it off some pre-made script where it said 'insert name' at all the right parts.  
  
My mother, you ask? I think if you looked for the word devil in the dictionary, you would see her picture. I mean my father was tolerable in his indifference, but my mother really wanted to smother me to death. She made my childhood a living hell filled with enriching lessons to further my expansive knowledge of the world making me into a better well-rounded person. So, I wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but I tried. Nothing I ever did was good enough for her. She wanted to control me like a puppet making sure I didn't stray from the right path, her path she had deemed for me. Half the time, she wasn't even there to see my accomplishments, but always made it in time to catch my failures. Yeah, I have mother issues. Well, I sort of couldn't blame the woman for finding some obsessive hobby, which was me. It was a pretty well known fact that my father had a penchant for the hired help. My mother kept her silence all those years standing outside in the hall listening to the sounds coming from her own bedroom door. Trying to play fire with fire didn't seem to make it any better. She had her share of houseboys and drivers to fill up her own little black book.  
  
In all this insanity, there was one person, though who didn't make it seem so bad. That was my sister, Tsubaki. Friends were something I lacked. Constantly being groomed to take over a multi-billion dollar corporation left little room to socialize outside of my home. Tsubaki was my only friend. Instead of me against our mother, it was the two of us. We were a united front. Usually Tsubaki was the one who could get my mother to back off. She is actually one of the few people in this world I can say I admire. Then again a part of that admiration comes from fear. She could beat me till I was senseless and thankfully she did or I would have ended up some wimpy prick that squealed at the slightest punch. She made me strong and pushed me to fight back, break bones, and not fear the sight of blood. It was all pretty okay having Tsubaki around that is until my mother saw her as a bad influence. She found some rich old dude and married her off like some kind of prized cow to the highest bidder. The day she was shipped off, I was left alone with no one to protect me anymore.  
  
Now this all leads up to my current predicament. I just finished university and was in the middle of the process of training. Everything was going as planned. I was pretty compliant with the idea of taking over my father's role. Then the real kick in the ass came. She found me a girl I was supposed to marry. Ok. That was it. I drew the line there. She brought in this scrawny monkey girl introducing me as my future wife. She said in time I would get used to the idea. She thought she could replace my sister with some stupid bimbo. The worst apart of it was she thought I couldn't take care of the company. She somehow convinced my father or rather blackmailed him into turning it all over to her. Like hell I was going to spend the next 30 so years waiting for that old bag to keel over to take what was rightfully mine all along.  
  
I still remember marching up to his door ready to lay it all out for him, but someone was already there. I stopped at the sight of blood oozing out from beneath the door onto my feet. I swung the door open to see my mother holding the smoking gun, my half naked father hiding behind a chair, and his dead lover face down in a pool of her own blood. The screams had no affect on me anymore. All I knew was that I had to get out of there. I think the shock hit them so hard that they didn't even hear the sound of my footsteps nor did they notice my appearance at the door. I ran after that. I grabbed what money I had in my wallet, a few clothes, and left that hell. The worst part of it all was the only few words I heard my mother utter," It's not the first time we've had to dump a dead whore."  
  
All I knew was that I wasn't going back to that shit. So, I made a made a run for it. She's tried to look for me a few times in her typical rich woman fashion. She believes I'm rebelling against the marriage, but she knows now I was there. I'm the only witness that could bring them down. They brought me into this world and I have the power to take them out of it. Why didn't I go to the cops? Well, let's just say with our family money I would most likely find myself in the intense psych ward of some mental institute. Silence is something that can be easily bought. So, here I am trying to avoid the lesser of two evils. One, I go back and pretend nothing happened and end up another one of her flying monkeys always watching my back in case a bullet finds it's way there from my demented mother. Two, I stay on the streets without any of their help and die some nameless face on the street. I'll take the latter.  
  
Tsukasa hastened his steps away down the street ignoring the strange looks of disgust coming from people. The once smiling and welcoming salespeople standing by the entrances of their lavish boutiques now looked right past him as if he were nothing. He was nothing more than a threat to their goods as a suspected shoplifter. He stood outside the window looking in at all the clothing he could have once had with a flick of his gold card. Nowadays fashion had to take a back seat to nourishment. Tsukasa looked up at the sky and released a heavy sigh. It looked like it was going to be another long day of circling jobs in the paper. He spun around to run a way from the temptation to go back to his old life.  
  
"Hey! Watch where you're going?!" a longhaired man yelled at Tsukasa as they knocked into each other. He stepped back to take a better look at the rather disheveled looking man who had the nerve to bump into him and not say anything.  
  
Tsukasa just glared at him and walked away without apologizing.  
  
The man stood on the street rubbing his shoulder where the wall like man had bumped into him. In his hand, he carried two very large shopping bags filled with clothes for himself and his companion. He blended in with the district wearing a pair of back slacks and a rather flashy designer shirt. Although he wore the brands to show off his wealth, it was quite obvious it was all an act like the kind that poor people put on to look rich. He was just another victim of new money not truly understanding the subtlety required to achieve the elitist look.  
  
"Let's go, Akira! I'm hungry," the girl beside him whined as she tugged on his arm. She pulled back her short hair into a ponytail and smoothed out her short mini skirt that barely covered her more private areas. Her top hugged every curve on her body with a deep v-neck that plunged down showing her cleavage to anyone who looked in her direction. Her face was covered in a thick bold mask of cosmetics. It looked like she used everything and anything on her face like a painted china doll. She stared at the direction where her friend was looking at. "Do you know him?" she asked pointing a finger.  
  
Akira snapped out of his thoughts. "Huh? You're hungry again? Sakurako, we just ate two hours ago!" he gasped in disbelief. "I can't believe someone so tiny like you could eat so much."  
  
"Shut the hell up!" she snapped back. "It was your idea to get up at noon to go shopping for some new clothes. I would have preferred to stay in bed. We've got a long night of work ahead of us. Plus I worked up quite an appetite after last night."  
  
Akira only nodded his head in agreement. "Fine. You win. Let's go get something to eat then. Stay in bed? You mean that guy I saw sneaking out of your room this morning?! You must be losing your mind. He is everything you've ever stayed away from. Bad hair, ugly clothes, on the short side, awkward. What the hell did you see in him?"  
  
Sakurako revealed a smug little smile. "When the lights are out it doesn't really matter. You know how I've been going for looks this entire time. I've learned that the umm...less attractive ones are sometimes quite 'well endowed'. When I saw it I almost screamed. I didn't think it would even fit. You should have seen it. It must have been at least..."  
  
Akira cupped a hand over her mouth to shut her up. "I don't need to hear anymore of your sexual trysts, ok. I'm sorry I asked. Let's go before I lose my appetite."  
  
"Fine," she shrugged. "It really was enormous," she giggled.  
  
"Jeez, remind me to never ask again." He grabbed her hand and led her down the street to the nearest restaurant.  
  
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Tsukasa managed to find himself a seat in a rather run down diner. It was more of a dive than anything containing a few cranky old waitresses huddled together talking about the latest soaps. The moment he entered they stopped talking for a moment to give him the once over with their eyes. Seeing as how he didn't look like a big tipper, they turned back to their little huddle and continued squabbling like a pack of squawking chickens. He sat down and opened up the menu trying to decide on what to order. Everything appeared to be made of pure grease. In disgust, he put down the menu and picked up the metal napkin holder to look at his reflection.  
  
I'm a mess. Well, what would you expect after spending the night on a dirty park bench. It'd be quite funny if I were to go see my so-called fiancé right now. I would just walk up to her and say, "How's about you and me go share something from the dumpster out back and then spend the night under the stars in my cardboard box." Yep, that'll sure impress the ladies.  
  
He put down the napkins and ran his fingers through his matted curly locks.  
  
I should try to clean up a bit if I'm going to look for work today. No one likes to hire a smelly person.  
  
He took in his surroundings wondering if anyone would mind he occupied the bathroom for too long.  
  
No one wants to be interrupted while in the shower.  
  
Seeing as how the place was pretty much dead, he grabbed his bag and headed for the men's room to clean himself up.  
  
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Akira ducked into the nearest eatery to try to shut Sakurako up. If he had to listen to one more story about her sexual escapades he was gonna retch right on the street. He liked his good pornographic story once in a while, but hers were too graphic for his tastes. She was too creepy with her cosplay and S&M antics.  
  
"Shit! I don't have any more money. Do you have any?" Sakurako hissed under her breath. She reached into her purse and pulled out a few coins.  
  
"Don't worry. I'll take care of it."  
  
He pushed her into the booth and flashed a smile at one of the haggard waitress. One of them took notice of the young, charming man and hurried over to take their orders.  
  
"What'll it be honey?" she asked brushing her hand across his thigh as she stood there.  
  
Akira only shuddered at her advances. "Hmm... not really hungry now that I've seen you, beautiful. Just seeing you is enough to make me forget about food. Umm... I'll just have a cup of coffee. Black." He avoided looking her in the eyes for fear she would try to devour him then and there. He always had that affect on woman. It was becoming too hard to keep a straight face. If she spent one more minute in her vicinity he was sure he would gag. "What do you want Sakurako?"  
  
Sakurako raised an eyebrow realizing what Akira was up to. The waitress turned to her with a scowl on her face as if the other woman in front of her was an immediate threat to her prey. Sakurako just dismissed her dirty looks and opened up the menu to read off her order. "OK. Give me a double cheeseburger, a side of fries, a side of onion rings, and a chocolate milk shake. For dessert, ummmm... how about a piece of pie with three scoops of vanilla ice cream on the side."  
  
Akira grinned from across the table and turned to the waitress. "My little sister sure can eat. I just had to stop and feed her cavern of a pie hole," he laughed.  
  
The waitress' scowl disappeared at the word, 'sister'. She put on a cheery smile and nodded her head. "Aaww...you're such a good brother to take your little sister out shopping," she cooed. She turned around with a little more bounce in her step to place her order. A few minutes later, she returned with their order and slipped her number into Akira's hand with a wink of her eye.  
  
Akira just continued to smile while inside he was kicking and screaming to run out of the establishment. Sakurako ignored his him and dove into her food with a ferocity like a wild animal. When Akira finally managed to get the waitress to go away he turned to Sakurako and quickly looked away in horror.  
  
"What?" she asked in between mouthfuls of food spilling out of her overflowing mouth. "You want some?"  
  
He raised a hand to stop her from talking. "I'm going to the bathroom," he muttered as he stood up to walk away.  
  
"Fine. More for me then," she greedily smiled as she shoved a fistful of onion rings into her mouth before slurping down more of her milk shake.  
  
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Tsukasa stood in the front of the grimy mirror trying to style his hair in some sort of respectable style. It just seemed to flop from one side to the other. It had been a long time since his last hair cut and it was now growing past his ears. It was a good thing his hair was curly so, it looked much shorter than it actually was.  
  
Akira pushed the door open preparing himself for the stench of the men's room, but to his surprise he walked in on a shirtless man in front of the mirror combing his hair. He didn't seem to take the least bit of notice of him, so Akira just decided to proceed with his business. As he relieved himself in the urinal, he glanced up at the safety mirror stealing glances at the man cleaning himself. He couldn't help, but smile thinking about how he once was like him. He finished up his business, washed his hands and walked out without ever saying a word.  
  
Tsukasa sighed in relief as the weird guy left the men's room. He couldn't help but notice the way that guy kept stealing glances of him from the urinal. Then he oddly smiled that made it even more uncomfortable. The bastard was probably jerking off while staring at me or something. He dug into his bag and pulled out what seemed like a fresh shirt or as fresh of a shirt he could ever get his hand on and buttoned it up. He only hoped that when he stepped out that weirdo would be gone. He swung open the bathroom door and to his dismay the guy was sitting at a booth with what appeared to be some starving girl gorging herself. Wanting to get out of that man's view, he chose to sit at the counter so he wouldn't have to meet that guy's leering eyes.  
  
"Yo, Akira! What's so interesting over there?"  
  
"Nothing. I was just thinking about the old days."  
  
The playful glimmer in Sakurako's eyes dulled. "Doesn't seem like it's much of anything to smile about," she sneered as she pushed her plate away and crossed her arms over her chest. She turned her head to steal a glance at Akira's object of attention. "I know that look in your eyes. Don't even think about it. You know she won't go for it. Remember what happened the last time you tried to recruit a newbie. I couldn't deal with another druggie."  
  
"He doesn't look like a druggie. His eyes aren't blood shot. No tremors. He looks healthy as can be to me. He kind of reminds me of myself a few years ago."  
  
"Whatever. Just say I didn't warn you. Do whatever the hell you want. I'm not going to try to stop you. He's your wreck."  
  
"I liked it better when your mouth was full and you couldn't speak."  
  
"Shut the fuck up, you ass!" Sakurako snapped back. "I'm going home to get ready for work. If I were you I'd drop the idea." She stood up and snatched up her shopping bags storming out of the diner leaving Akira alone.  
  
Tsukasa turned towards the door to see the girl with that weirdo storm out. Based on the way she was dressed she probably was one of his 'girls'. His imagination ran wild coming to the conclusion that either the guy was a pimp or some kind of drug dealer. Whatever he was, he had better keep his distance.  
  
The waitress gravitated back to Akira's lonely table coyly batting her eyelashes. "Looks like the little one threw a tantrum," she giggled. "Good for me because now I have you all for myself."  
  
Akira looked up at her trying his best to stay calm. "I'm a lucky guy to have a beauty like you all to myself."  
  
She pulled out the check from her apron and placed it on the table. "That'll be $15, sweetie."  
  
Now was the time for Akira to follow the scripted scene he had gone through so many times. He reached down into his pockets and frantically began to pat himself down. He ducked under the table and scoured the seats with his eyes. "That little! Umm...I normally wouldn't do this, but it appears my little sister took my wallet when she left. Do you think you could just let me slide this one time?" he seductively purred into her ear earning him some high pitched giggles from the older woman.  
  
She looked up at the cook who was also the proprietor of the establishment now scowling at the penniless free loader owing him money. She bent down and whispered into his ear, "Don't worry, I'll take care of it. How about next time you pay for me? I'll treat you for lunch, if you treat for dinner," she grinned.  
  
"How about tomorrow night," he replied.  
  
"You've got my number."  
  
Akira stood up and stretched his arms up into the air in victory. Works every time, he smiled to himself. He was about to walk through the door, but something caught his eye. That guy he from the bathroom was looking through the want ads. It had to be a sign. Taking this as his cue, he sauntered over to the counter to take a seat beside him.  
  
Tsukasa cringed the moment he heard that guy sit beside him. All he could think of was that if he tried to make an advance on him he wouldn't hold back. He had to be some sick pervert.  
  
"Excuse me?" Akira politely asked.  
  
"Huh?' Tsukasa grunted in reply trying to show him he had no interest in whatever he had to say.  
  
"Are you looking for a job?" Akira pushed down the newspaper the man held up to his nose trying to get his attention.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I can get you one if you like. From the way you look, it seems you could use the help. You have the build and look to fit into our clientele's tastes. The work isn't too hard and the pay is good. On a good night you can make up to $1,000. So, how about it?"  
  
Tsukasa bit back his lip finally giving into his rage. What the hell kind of proposition was he making anyway. "Look! I don't go for that kind of work. Maybe your girls do, but I'm not that kind of man. I don't sell my body and I'm not in any way ever gonna be a drug dealer. So get the fuck away from me!"  
  
"Whoa!" Akira jumped out of his seat in surprise and backed away. "I think we went about this the wrong way? My name is Akira. I'm not a drug dealer, I'm not a pimp, and already the answer to your last question is no, I'm not gay. My offer is legit. Here's my card, if you still want it. Give me a call after you've thought about it. I run a club and I thought you would make a good waiter or bartender." Akira dug his hands in his pockets and started to walk away.  
  
The card stared up at him in screaming red lettering, "Last Resort". Underneath the background of flames he saw "Manager: Mimasaka Akira." Tsukasa stared down at the card wondering if this guy was serious. A waiter? By the time he came to a decision, it was too late. The guy had left. Tsukasa grabbed the card and ran out the door. He jumped out into the street and looked in every direction for any sign of Akira. "Damn," he muttered.  
  
"I knew you would be interested," Akira smirked as he came walked out from around the corner.  
  
Tsukasa lowered his head in embarrassment. "Are you really serious about $1,000 yen a night?"  
  
"Yep. You should be overjoyed that I'm offering you a job at one of Japans hottest night spots." Akira walked past him and down the street.  
  
"Hey! Who said I accepted your offer?"  
  
"You're an even bigger idiot than I thought if you do. So, are you coming or not?"  
  
He ran to catch up with him. "Yes, but if it's not what you say it is there'll be hell to pay."  
  
"Fine, fine, fine." He waved a hand dismissing the threats. "Follow me. I was about to go to work anyway. Oh yeah, what's your name?"  
  
"Tsukasa."  
  
Akira smiled and stretched out a hand, which Tsukasa accepted. "Nice to meet you Tsukasa." he shook his hand vigorously. "I think this will work out quite nicely." 


	2. Girls, Booze, and More girls?

Disclaimer: I am a very poor girl pretending to be rich. Everything I own is bootleg!  
  
Skyla rants: Yes, I am going on a tirade lately. My friends all laugh when I say I should have one of those incredible hulk moments and HULK OUT! . This fic is a product of pure anger. It was conceived during one of those days where it seems like everyone around you has decided to pick a fight with you and Skyla wants to tell them to all f*ck off. Why does it seem that I have the attention span of five seconds? I've given up on my other fics for awhile. I will focus only on this and have decided till the muse of this story that compels me to write dies I'll keep writing. I think my problem is that when I come up with ideas I have a good beginning and an end, but all the middle crap is a blank. Ah wellz, I don't know if ppl are reading this thing or not. There seem to be so few comments. Review! More reviews=more updates.  
  
Chapter 2: Booze, girls, and more girls.  
  
Akira continued his brisk pace while glancing back every once in a while to check if his new protégé was following. He stopped dead in his tracks at being hit with a thought and spun around. He raised a finger to his lips and muttered to himself, I can't bring you looking like that?  
  
Tsukasa came to a stop behind him. This is all I've got the wear. I don't have any money for anything better.  
  
This might be a little problem. He tousled his long hair with his fingers contemplating how he could resolve their little dilemma. His face lit up at an idea brewing in his head. He glanced down at his silver Omega watch and grinned. We still have some time. Come with me. He jumped out into the street stopping a cab and at the same time giving the driver a heart attack. Akira pulled the door open and hopped in. Get in.  
  
Tsukasa still rather bewildered and dazed by the day's events grudgingly got in. He watched Akira yell some address across town. The perturbed driver just nodded in understanding and began winding through the busy streets. Where are we going?  
  
My place.  
  
What the hell was I thinking trusting this guy? I have that sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that I'm gonna regret going along with this guy later. It's not too late to jump out now.  
  
Akira watched the road ahead of him making sure the driver wouldn't try to drive the long way upping the charge. Every once in a while he would take an occasional glance at his nervous companion. He couldn't help but chuckle at his internal struggle to jump out of the car with the way his hand would inadvertently brush the handle every few minutes. Seeing as how the cab was going at about 50 miles an hour in busy traffic, he decided to calm some of his fears. You need a good shower and a change of clothes. Lucky for you I just went shopping today. I think we're about the same size.  
  
Uh, yeah, Tsukasa sheepishly nodded as he leaned back against the seat placing his hands in his lap.  
  
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Welcome to my humble abode! Akira cheerily greeted swinging the door open to his apartment. He fumbled with the door trying to push it wider open, but was blocked by the pile of building rubbish behind it. Al little embarrassed by his slovenly way, Akira brushed aside the debris with his foot motioning Tsukasa to enter. Sorry, I haven't really gotten around to cleaning the place up in awhile.  
  
That's ok, Tsukasa replied trying to hide his utter disdain for the pig sty. He brushed away the scattered clothing and magazines strewn onto the couch and sat down to absorb his surroundings. The place was rather small, nothing especially grand about it that is to say.   
  
Akira ran behind one of the closed doors and re-emerged a few second later. Good. She's not here?  
  
  
  
Akira plucked through the miscellaneous articles strewn around the living room throwing things left and right into the basket he was currently filling up. Oh, my roommate. You might have seen here before. She was the girl from the diner.  
  
You mean the bottomless pit.  
  
I see you noticed, he heartily laughed. Yeah, she's like a piranha. I'll introduce her to you later. She works at the club, too. He snatched up one of his shopping bags from earlier and rummaged though it. Here, take these. The bathroom's down the hall, second door on your right.  
  
Tsukasa obligingly took the simple pair of black and pants and midnight blue dress shirt to the bathroom. He closed the door and leaned his back against it trying to find his bearings. He tossed the clean clothes onto a clear area of the floor and turned on the shower to drown out any sounds he might make.   
  
If you ever go to a stranger's house and want to figure out what kind of person you are the bathroom is always the best place to find your answers. The medicine cabinet is a window into a person's soul. It's one of the few places that people don't ever consider as a source of invasion of privacy. You just sort of take it for granted thinking who would look in there', but little do they know that a prescription bottle to what kind of toothpaste can reveal more than you've ever imagined. All your dirty little secrets come out.   
  
So, I thrust the mirror door open and at my utter shock, there was nothing out of the ordinary. I expected a drug store to be found in there. Where were the uppers and downers? It was pretty much barren in there except for the box of tampons, floss, mouthwash, and a box of toothpaste. The only thing that could be remotely referred to as a drug was a bottle of aspirin. Then an idea struck me. It's too obvious to be the first place to look for something. I was reminded of a story I had heard back in college about where they would hide there pot. I turned to the toilet and pulled the top off awaiting the sight of a bag of ganja floating in a zip lock block. Damn! He's clean. I stared down at the crystal blue water bubbling up at me. I jumped at the sound of a knock at the door almost dropping the porcelain cover to the ground. I fumbled to snatch it as I made a grab for it a few inches from the ground. Luckily, I had quick reflexes and caught it in time.  
  
Are you okay in there? Akira asked from outside the door.   
  
Uh... Yeah, I'll be out in a few minutes. He carefully placed the cover back onto the toilet and shut the medicine cabinet. Looking at his own foggy reflection in the mirror, he turned to hop into the shower cleaning himself off quickly in the scalding hot water. It had felt like an eternity since he had last had a nice, hot shower so he drowned himself in the blast of water falling down on him. A good shower was all he needed right now to relax him.  
  
--------------------------------------   
  
Much better. Akira put up his fingers making a picture frame in front of his face with a lopsided grin plastered all over his face.   
  
Tsukasa tugged at his shirt shifting uneasily. It had been a while since he had felt the soft touch of designer fabric against his skin. Although the shirt was rather shiny and the pants a little tight for his tastes, he had to admit he did look rather good.   
  
Akira beamed with pride I thinking he had found a diamond in the rough. Tsukasa would make a welcome addition to the club. He could already see the money rolling in. He snapped out of his thoughts realizing the time. Shit! We're late. He grabbed his keys from the table and grabbed his coat. She's gonna kill me, he muttered under his breath. Let's go, the place should be jumping by now. He ran behind Tsukasa and began pushing him out the door slamming the door shut behind him. We'll take my car.  
  
When they reached the parking garage, Tsukasa's strange day got even weirder at the sight of Akira jumping into what appeared to be a 2003 Acura NSX. It was weird that it was the only non- beat up dirty car in the entire lot. It was pristine and from the way Akira lovingly grazed its hood with his finger, it was his baby. Hop in, he ordered. He stammered for a moment, Watch the leather seats.  
  
  
  
---------------------------------------------   
  
Yo Akira! Where have you been? She's been having a heart attack screaming about killing you. The man standing over the podium ordering the men below to push the throngs back waved towards Akira. Hey you! Don't push! The place is already packed at maximum capacity. Take care of them before they start some trouble, he directed towards two guards standing by the side. They nodded their heads in understanding and began to rag off the crowd of rowdy men trying to push their way to the front of the line while groping every female patron along the way. Come on! You better get in there before she makes good on her word.  
  
Akira ran up behind the counter beside the man. He patted him on the back and let out a laugh. She's made petty threats before. Junpei meet Tsukasa. Tsukasa, this is Junpei our bouncer/head of security.  
  
Nice to meet you, Junpei greeted Tsukasa in a gruff tone. He gave him a curious eye, and turned his attention back towards the crowd in front of him trying to maintain the peace.  
  
Tsukasa weakly returned a feeling lost in such a huge crowd of people. It was strange to see such a mixture of people waiting to get in. Young. Old, rich or poor they were all there.   
  
Stay close to me, Akira sternly ordered Tsukasa pulling him into the darkened hallway of the building.   
  
Tsukasa stumbled in the dim hallway trying to keep up with Akira. He coughed heavily as he ran through the clouds of cigarette smoke surrounding him. When they reached the end of the hallway, he was almost blinded by the bright spotlight on the stage in front of him. In front of him stood probably one of the most beautiful women he had ever laid his eyes upon. He stopped in the doorway losing all train of thought, as well as consciousness of his whereabouts. Her husky, sultry voice filled his ears arousing a certain lust and desire in him. She was drawing him in.   
  
_The minute you walked in the joint  
  
I could see you were a man of distinction,   
  
A real big spender,  
  
Good looking, so refined.   
  
Say wouldn't you like to know who's going on in my mind?  
  
So let me get right to the point,  
  
I don't pop my cork for every guy I see.  
  
Hey big spender,  
  
Spend a little time with me.  
  
_Nice view, eh? Akira sniggered while nudging Tsukasa's arm. That's Starr. I'll introduce you two later if you like. We don't have time to stand here all night. Come on.  
  
Tsukasa dumbly nodded his head with his mouth still open. The image of the siren was imprinted in his mind. That brief moment she looked in his direction it felt like everyone else in the room had disappeared. Her long auburn tresses cascaded down her back in ripples of waves. Every part of her body screamed perfection. Her long black gown hugged every curve of her body accentuating all her assets'. She was dripping in diamonds on her neck, wrists, and fingers. She knew how to use her feminine wiles and she had captured his heart, his soul, and his body in one brief moment. It seemed as if she was singing for him only.   
  
They wound through the crowds of ogling men and prattling women annoyed by the sudden loss of attention. It seemed Tsukasa wasn't the only one enamored by Starr. Akira pulled him along dodging through the waitresses and waiters swerving from table to table carrying trays filled with drinks. It was fascinating the way they could sense the slightest movement around them dodging any impending collision all while not spilling a single drop.   
  
Order up! Table five! a man shouted from behind the bar. His arms were flailing around him grabbing glasses, flipping bottles, and shaking canisters surrounding him.   
  
Ok!' a cheery girl with her hair pulled into two short pig tails yelled as she rushed up to load up her tray. She bumped into Tsukasa and smiled innocently apologizing for her clumsiness. I need five Long Island's, four gin and tonics, 2 margaritas, three Jack Daniel's, a '72 Merlot, and a fakeout. She leaned up against the counter spitting out the list of orders all while twirling a piece of stray hair in her face. The girl was rather petite and dainty for a place like this. From her face, she appeared to be no more than 17. Like all the other waitresses, she wore the same attire of a tight white t-shirt and short black mini skirt. Her apron was brimming with bills almost spilling out. Her young, taut skin was smeared in body glitter making her glimmer like a fair. Her eyes and lips were smeared with an iridescent pink that only added to the fairy effect. Although she didn't exhume the same sexual tension as Starr this girl was just as stunning as making Tsukasa hold his breath.   
  
Got it! the bartender replied turning his back to prepare the drinks.  
  
The girl turned her attention back towards the crowd and smiled at the familiar face. Akira! Finally decided to drag your lazy ass in here? Her smile widened at the sight of the man beside Akira. And who are you, sweetheart?  
  
Akira just let her words slide past him. I'd be careful with this one. Looks can be very deceiving, Akira whispered into Tsukasa'a ear. He sweetly smiled back at the girl. Tsukasa this is Lolita and Lolita this is Tsukasa.  
  
My pleasure, I'm sure, Lolita beamed snapping her gum in her mouth.   
  
Tsukasa just dumbly continued to stare at the girl feeling speechless. he stammered out.  
  
She laughed at his shyness and leaned in closer to Akira. He's a real sweet talker, she teased. So, you brought another newbie huh, Akira?'  
  
The bartender spun around with all the prepared drinks and began piling them up onto the tray. Great! We could really use the help. Tsukasa, right? Oh, I'm Soujiro by the way, the handsome man behind the counter yelled over the grinding sound of he blender. He extended one hand out towards Tsukasa, which he obligingly accepted. As you can see I've really got my work cut out for me here. Hey, Akira! Get your ass behind the bar and help me with some of these orders.  
  
Akira who was engrossed in his attempts to flirt with a flock of young women briefly glanced towards the bar and shrugged his shoulders. Can't you see I'm busy with some customers?  
  
Lolita ran over to him and yanked him back to the bar by the collar of his shirt earning sighs of disappointment from the ladies. Make yourself useful. You owe us for covering for you. We've tried to do as much damage control as possible, but she's still gonna kick your ass the second she sees you.  
  
Tsukasa's head spun back and forth at the rapid conversation going on in front of him. Who was this she that they all seemed to fear? His answer was quickly answered by the sound of a hard plastic tray slamming into Akira's thick skull.  
  
You stupid mother fucker! Where the hell have you been? I've been calling your cell every ten minutes trying to reach you. You know that today is always our busiest day of the week! The girl shoved her face into his screaming with venom dripping off her lips. With heels on she stood just at eye level with Akira glaring into his with a seething hatred. Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail wrapped by a black scarf and her face was rather plain compared to the other women he had seen so far in the club. Although she wasn't hideous by any comparison, she didn't have that same oomph that Starr and Lolita had about them. Her body was lean and muscular under the uniform of white t-shirt and black skirt and her tall boots rose up her long legs that seemed to go on forever. Her make up was simple with her eyes smeared in a smoky grey and her lips a ruby red. Overall, Tsukasa was still turned on even though she had a disposition that seemed to dampen any romantic inclination he was beginning to feel for her physically. Sometimes I wonder if you can be trusted with running this place when you can't even keep track of your own shitty life?!  
  
What the fuck?! Do you have to hit me so hard with that thing? Akira winced as he rubbed the giant lump growing on his head. I was out getting us some help. Mona meet Tsukasa.   
  
She spun her head around and her eyes darted at Tsukasa. The dull blankness of them startled him making him positive he would never want to touch her with a ten-foot pole.   
  
  
  
What do you mean no, Mona? You're always complaining that we need more help. Well here he is.  
  
She narrowed her eyes inspecting Tsukasa more closely scrutinizing every detail of his face. I don't like him. This is a club, not a shelter.   
  
Tsukasa's face started to turn red in rage. Who the hell did this girl think she was? Akira had hired him, so what was the big deal? It wasn't worth it to get in the middle of all their shit. Look, Akira said he had a job for me and now you're telling me you don't. I don't need to deal with all this crap. I'm leaving. He pushed past her and started for the door.  
  
Wait! Stay here. I'll talk to her, Akira yelled as he tugged on Tsukasa'a arm pulling him back in.   
  
The music came to a halt and the band announced an intermission earning jeers from the crowds. One of the band members ran up to the DJ stand and put on a CD sending booms of music through the speakers causing the walls and floor to vibrate beneath them. Starr sauntered towards the group huddled by the bar seductively flirting with the customers as she passed each table. Behind her trailed a sullen man that seemed to shoot daggers at every man that dared approach her in an unseemly manner.  
  
I can't deal with any more shit tonight. What the hell are you doing? Your set isn't over yet, Starr. Get back up there and start playing something Rui!  
  
Akira took this as a chance to push for a place for his new find. Tsukasa, meet our sultry siren Starr and our bandleader, Rui.  
  
Starr ignored Mona's ranting and grabbed a glass of wine from the counter. I've got an audition later. I already told you I had to leave early. Anyway, I got Ivy to cover for me, she haughtily snapped while taking small sips from her glass. She placed her glass back onto the counter and swept up the back of her dress. She leaned in close to the man standing beside her and kissed him gently on the cheek. She rubbed the smudge of lipstick left on his face and purred, See you later. She stopped taking notice of the new guy, Nice to meet you, Tsukasa, she sweetly whispered with quivering lip making his body tremble.  
  
Rui curtly whispered a before returning to his place on stage and picked up his guitar tugging at its strings to tune it. He nodded his head signaling he was ready.  
  
Up on stage the band had already began to assemble as cat calls were being directed towards the woman preparing herself on stage. She wore a very revealing outfit consisting of a hot pink sorest with black lace running up and down the sides. Her tiny leather shorts hugged her ass, while bills started being tucked into her garter belts. Her stiletto heels made her even more intimidating with each stride and pose she made for the crowds. A group of four girls dresses equally provocatively bounded out from behind the stage and assembled behind her. Their entire image was somewhat reminiscent of the Moulin Rouge.  
  
The drummer grabbed the mike bringing the crowd to a deathly silence. The lights blacked out and a single spotlight shone down on her. Her deathly pale skin with her painted on face were lit up under the hot lights.   
  
Tsukasa quickly recognized her as the gluttonous girl from earlier in the diner who was now singing in karaoke style that was bordering on tolerable and plain dreadful. Although she wasn't a very good singer, there was ample reason given to explain her popularity. Her body bent, twirled, and curled in ways that didn't seem humanly possible. The way she gyrated against that pole and managed to wrap herself around it was unbelievable.   
  
Mona frantically started berating Akira for forcing her to do this, but she had no choice. She tapped Tsukasa on the shoulder turning his attention away from the stage. You can stay just for today. You screw up and you never come back here again. Have you ever done anything like this before?  
  
At first, Tsukasa considered pressing his luck by holding out just to torture her a little. He saw the bind she had found herself in, and he would have been delighted by the fact of stringing her along a bit. However, the money bulging out of her apron said made his brain says something else. Who would pass up an opportunity for fast cash. Not really, he muttered in return. My last few jobs have been odd jobs like washing dishes or delivery stuff, but I learn fast and I'm willing to do anything. He attempted to make himself sound a little more reliable than he seemed at the moment.   
  
Mona rubbed her temples and motioned him to follow her. Christ, this is gonna be an interesting evening. Follow me and listen closely.   
  
Good luck! Akira shouted form behind the counter as he began to show off his skills flinging bottles in the air and lighting shot glasses on fire.   
  
he muttered in return not quite sure what the rest of the night would bring him.  
  
Mona grabbed an empty tray and shoved it towards his chest. She scanned the room for a few moments before heading in one direction. She chose a dim corner that was the least heavily trafficked. This will be your area for the night. All you've got to do is take orders, bring them to Soujiro and Akira who will take care of it all for you, and you bring them back to the customer. Do you think you can handle that?  
  
Tsukasa glared back at her feeling his temper rise. Well it's not like it's brain surgery? he sarcastically rebuked. Even a damn monkey could do that.  
  
Well just see about that, she retorted. Anything you spill comes out of your pay. We al share the work equally, so at the end of the night tips are pooled and divided equally amongst everyone. Straight pay comes at the end of the week. The customer is always right, so anything they ask you give. We draw the line at drugs and sex. Got that?  
  
  
  
She warily looked at him with a face that exhumed a complete lack in confidence in his abilities. I'll be over there if you need me. She walked away picking up her tray and put on a cheerful grin replacing her sour face.   
  
Tsukasa picked up his won tray, took a deep breath, and headed into the crowds.  
  
----------------------------------   
  
Ok. So I wasn't exactly the best waiter, but I can't say I completely sucked. I got some of the orders mixed up, but luckily most of my customers tended to be old hags that came for the eye candy. Every once in awhile, my body jump at the touch of a hand on my ass as I passed by a table. I held back though. I could sense Mona glancing over in my direction every few minutes to check on my progress. It was enough motivation to make me just keep walking in fear that she would take out her anger on me. Overall, the night went pretty well. I mean I did screw up a few orders and spilled a few, but get some women drunk enough and with my pretty face they would pretty much drink anything you served them.  
  
It was a very different experience from my previous occupations where I was usually locked in some small room doing a monotonous task over and over again. Ivy's show wasn't as bad as I expected. I could see why so many people came here. The place burst with energy filling your veins and lungs with some sort of euphoric high. People came here to act out their deepest fantasies and carnal desires leaving their problems at the door to have a good time. Hangovers and consequences would be taken into consideration later.   
  
So, everything was going fine. My pockets were filled with large bills. Then we hit the little snag in the evening. I came upon a table of some rather rich older women. You could tell they were the types who were out on one of those girls' nights out kind thing getting their kicks getting drunk. Grabbing some ass, and making lewd comments until it was late enough for them to drag their drunken asses into their husbands' cars and go home to their kids, maids, and empty lives.  
  
I swallowed the lump in my throat the second I saw the four women take a seat in my section. The moment they saw me, they came running over to grab a table in my section. I didn't think much of them at first thinking they would just order their margaritas and drag some helpless younger man out onto the dance floor with them. From the way they were already carrying drinks in hand and staggering to keep balance, they were pretty much wasted already.  
  
Tsukasa picked up his order and brought over their drinks consisting from a few bottles of tequila, vodka, and scotch. They were really looking to get hammered. He tried to remain calm as their leering eyes devoured him with a hungry lust in their eyes that would make anyone blush. One of the vultures had enough nerve to rub her hand up and down his leg towards his upper thigh.  
  
Another wearing a very low cut breast in your face kind of tank top leaned forward and whispered into his ear, You're new aren't you? How about we play a little game?  
  
He hid the disgust in his expression at the whiff of her liquor laced breath. I don't think that's such a good idea.  
  
Come one it'll be fun, she purred into his ear making him shudder.  
  
I wouldn't feel comfortable with that.  
  
The seductress demeanor disappeared and was replaced by the smile cold, bitch attitude his mother had most of the time. What the hell kind of service is this? We are paying customers and you should know the customer is always right. Let me speak to someone in charge.  
  
It was by his own good luck that Mona decided to glance over in his direction to see a rather irate drunk woman yelling at him. Tsukasa hurried to quiet her down and looked around the room for any sign of whether or not it would be a good idea. He finally noticed Lolita running a drinking competition with a table full of men downing one drunk after another. Mona soon also became preoccupied with the same task at another table playing a drinking game. She had her hands full when one of the drunks decided to begin fondling her breast leading up to a great disturbance. Junpei came rushing in and grabbed the whole table throwing them out. He turned back to the table of rebuffed women finally nodding his head. Let's play then.  
  
Tsukasa's tolerance for liquor could be considered pretty high considering all the times his sister had challenged him to contests. Also hi build was quite large giving him a great body mass to retain his sobriety. His body had been trained to consume large amounts of alcohol, but after 2 bottles of scotch, 10 tequila shots, and a bottle of pure vodka he was feeling the buzz in his head. Lucky for him, the last shot he downed was also the last drink he had to serve that night. He staggered towards the bar where the others were assembled already throwing their tips onto the counter.  
  
Everybody out! Mona yelled snatching bills from the dirty counter.   
  
Tsukasa watched as everyone emptied out their pockets. Akira collected the money, and upon receiving a thick wad form Tsukasa he gave him a pat on the back. I knew you would be good at this.  
  
He handed over the cash to Mona who quickly flipped through the bills calculating the night's intake of tips. First, she pulled out a percentage for the She carefully divided the bills and began making small piles on the table slapping away any thieving hand that attempted to make a lunge for their money. She slapped down the last bill and clapped her hands together. Good haul tonight everybody. We each get 15,000 yen.  
  
Tsukasa reached for his money, but was stopped by a hand slapping his. What the?! he looked up only to be greeted by Mona's surly disposition.   
  
I'll be taking back some for the drinks you spilled.  
  
Damn, he thought to himself. I thought she didn't see me.  
  
Thank you, she sweetly smiled putting the money into the register.  
  
It was already four thirty in the morning when the last of the stragglers outside were escorted off the premises. The most pertinent messes that had to be cleaned up were cleaned, while the rest of the little jobs were left to take care later.  
  
Closing time! Akira yelled at Ivy who was busy chatting with Lolita.  
  
We're coming! she called back waving a good bye. She grabbed her caught and draped it over her costume, which she had not bothered to take off.   
  
Lolita followed in suit grabbing Soujiro from behind the bar. Come on. You promised me you would give me a ride home.  
  
Soujiro tiredly sighed letting out a long yawn. He grabbed his jacket and protectively wrapper her up. It's cold outside.  
  
Akira gave Tsukasa one last hearty pat on the back. The group waved goodbye and they were out the door. Behind the group lagged a barely awake Rui dragging his feet out the door. As he passed by, Tsukasa couldn't help but become dumbstruck by his cold, dead eyes. The previous night he hadn't been able to get a very good look at the sullen man. Although even give any recognition to his presence, just looking into his eyes seemed to slice through Tsukasa like a cold, steel blade. His body broke out in goosebumps.  
  
Junpei popped his head in and yelled, See ya tomorrow Mona!  
  
a woman's voice echoed back from the back office.  
  
In the end, Tsukasa was the last one left with a pocket full of cash and nowhere to go. He pondered going to a hotel for the night, but found his head was beginning to throb from all the liquor he had already consumed. He heard the sound of footsteps coming and realizing it was probably Mona, the bitch he could barely stand, he staggered out the door to avoid any further confrontation.  
  
When the cold, bitter wind hit his face arousing him for a moment from his stupor something else in him lurched forward. He could already taste the bile rising in his throat choking his breaths. He looked around him trying to find some inconspicuous place to retch. In the narrow alleyway, he stood slumped over spitting out the leftover remnants of whatever he had eaten the day before. It was only the clatter of trash cans being knocked over that made him look up. A woman was screaming at a man. He looked vaguely familiar.   
  
No one turns me down, the man slurred lunging towards her. I'll make you pay for the whore you are!  
  
The woman tried to kick him away, but he pinned her arms against the walls. She struggled to free herself, but was met with only the arrogant laughter of her attacker. Get the fuck off of me!  
  
He pressed his body up against hers and shoved his hand up her shirt fondling her breasts while trailing sloppy kisses on the nape of her neck.   
  
Tsukasa leaned against the wall watching the scene in front of him wondering whether or not it was his place to intervene. I mean, Mona wasn't exactly his favorite person in the world. He turned his head towards the end of the alleyway to be hit by something. She raised her face for a moment and looked directly at him with a soft, pleading look in her eyes. Although she stopped her useless pleas a single tear fell down her cheek.  
  
Damn it, Tsukasa muttered to himself. It looks like I better break that up before anything else happens. He gripped the side of the walls and scrambled towards the scene. He stopped behind the man and tapped him on the shoulder. Get offa her!  
  
Mind your own fucking business!  
  
Leaving him with not much choice, Tsukasa scruffed him by the neck and pulled him off with one hand. He tossed him against the wall watching him crumple against the blow. The exertion of the rest of his strength was too much as his inebriation fully hit him forcing him to grab onto Mona for support.  
  
Mona, who at that point beginning to regain her consciousness of the situation pulled something out of her bag. She pulled Tsukasa's face to hers and shot something into his eyes.   
  
Tsukasa screamed putting a hand over his eyes. His vision completely blurred rendering him blind. He grasped for anything solid to balance himself.  
  
It took you long enough! I saw you think before coming to help me!  
  
You didn't have to do that, bitch!  
  
This only left ample opportunity for the attacker to get the upper hand. He grabbed an empty bottle and smashed it against eh ground making himself a jagged weapon. He ran forward aiming towards the arguing couple. Mona was oblivious to this fact due t her incessant screaming, but snapped out of it at the sight of sharp glass barreling towards them. She pushed Tsukasa out of the way and shot another blast of mace into the man's face rendering him blind, too. A second later, and the glass would have penetrated through her arm completely. She grabbed the closest heavy metal object, a garbage can lid and swung it over his head knocking him unconscious. She was about to walk away, but the sight of Tsuaksa gripping his face made her feel something, pity.   
  
Come with me, she order grabbing his arm and pulling him towards her car. She buckled him into the passenger seat and was about to close the door, when Tsukasa suddenly jerked his head to the side vomiting all over.   
  
--------------------------------------------   
  
What happened? I opened my eyes feeling the sun's rays burn through my corneas. I tried to sit up, but quickly laid back down at realizing that the room was spinning. I decided to instead just stare blankly at the white ceiling. Where am I? Wait! Last night? The last thing I remember was some guy attacking Mona behind the club. Me throwing the guy off of her Then? Then that bitch sprayed me with mace! I couldn't see much after that. All I heard were some screams, glass breaking, another blast of mace, and a garbage can lid hitting something hard. She saved me didn't she?  
  
The door quietly creaked open in an attempt to not awaken its occupant. Tsukasa quickly closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. He could feel something heavy sit down on the bed making. There was the sound of dripping water and then something cool against his forehead. A hand brushed away the hair that had fallen over his eyes. Another pulled the cool cloth from his forehead and rested against his forehead. It was something new to him.   
  
Why do I feel funny all of a sudden? Is this what it feels like to be taken care of? I've been sick before, but it's always been Tsubaki or one of the maids to take care of me. Who is this person?   
  
The warm body shifted from its position on the bed and got up.   
  
No! Don't go, he hoarsely whispered. He grabbed onto her arm and pulled her back onto the bed. He opened his eyes and looked up at the face of the angel of mercy who took him in.   
  
She was a completely different person now as the morning rays illuminated her face. Mona looked down into his eyes and warmly smiled. She twisted her hands not knowing how to break the awkward silence. She realized that she would have to be the first to extend an olive branch. Finally, she spoke up in a small voice. Thank you for saving me last night.  
  
Tsukasa pulled himself up to rest his back against the headboard of the bed. Sorry about not helping you sooner, he muttered in return.   
  
Another long silence followed.  
  
  
  
  
  
Oh, you go first.  
  
No you go.  
  
I said you go first!  
  
Just say what you want to say damn it!   
  
They both blushed crimson at the childishness of arguing over who should say something first. Once again they sat in silence.  
  
Finally Mona took the lead. I was thinking Maybe we could start all over again. I'm not normally as bitchy as I was last night. I was just under a lot of stress.  
  
He nodded his head in agreement and put out a hand. Nice to meet you, Mona. My name is Tsukasa.  
  
She cupped a hand over her mouth giggling.   
  
Tsukasa just looked at her with a confused look all over his face. Did I say something funny?  
  
No. No. She sputtered out between laughs. No one calls me Mona outside of the club. It's just a stage name I use. She stifled her laughter and smiled back at him. She took his hand in hers and shook it. It's my pleasure, Tsukasa. My name is Tsukushi.  
  



	3. Initiation

Disclaimer: You know the drill. I own nothing. Blah. Blah. Blah.  
  
Random Ramblings: Hmm. I've seem to have completely abandoned my other fics for now. From what I have in my head right now, this story will not be purely in Tsukasa's view. I think I'll be delving into the other characters' backgrounds and switching POV's frequently. I've gotten into that whole stream of consciousness type of style now. Trying to calculate yen is too hard for me. I'll be basing all amounts on US dollars to make my life easier. Remember I thrive off reviews!  
  
Chapter 3: Initiation  
  
Let's just recap what has happened in the last twenty-four hours. Woke up in a park bench reeking of my own filth. Went out looking for a job, instead met still questionably gay man Akira who offered me a job for some quick money. Find myself in a club surrounded by hot waitresses and singers, booze flowing into glasses like water, and one really bitchy boss. Drink massive quantities of booze to make horny old women happy. Rescue bitchy boss from being raped by pervert customer. Bitchy boss in return maces me for being the hero. Wake up in her apartment. Now she wants to be friends. Yep, that about sums it all up. My life is fucking perfect.  
  
"Weed?" Tsukasa choked out in between laughs. He groaned grabbing onto my head as another mind splitting pain ripped through my skull  
  
"Yeah, so what? It was my damn parents that picked the name," she snapped clearly annoyed by the fact he and probably the rest of the entire world always pointed out. Her knuckles turned white clenching onto the sheets. He really knew how to push her buttons.  
  
"What a stupid name! It does match your look. Compared to the other girls you look just so."  
  
"So what?!"  
  
He couldn't resist it. It was his chance to get back at her for macing him. "Plain, annoying, short, homely, flat chested. I could go on." He cocked his head slightly up letting he rich brat in him come out. It was all too easy to fall back into his old patterns of superiority. No one ever dared treat him the way this girl did the night before. It was his way of payback.  
  
Like I said earlier. I wasn't exactly the smartest person in the world. According to my therapist, I was confrontational and aggressive as an outlet to find the much needed positive attention I sought from my parents. Tsubaki just called it being an ass. She was right.  
  
"I'm going to kill you!"  
  
"Fuck! I think I'm going to be sick again!" he covered his mouth and ran towards the bathroom leaning over the porcelain god retching out what felt like along or some other vital organ. He knelt over the toilet until his knees gave out from near him. So, he leaned against the tub with his eyes closed wishing for the room to stop spinning. He looked up to see the woman towering over him looking like she was going to smash his face in for his earlier comments. "I had to get back at your for last night. My eyes are still burning. I surrender. Don't hurt a sick man!"  
  
"Got yourself quite a hang over I see." Tsukushi dropped a damp towel over his head and began rummaging through the medicine cabinet for something. It was filled with bottles. She ran a finger across the shelf and sopped at one snatching it from its place. She popped the lid open and turned it upside down revealing nothing. In frustration, she tossed the bottle into the waste-basket and grabbed another pouring two pills into her hand. She filled a glass with water from the tap and handed the pills and glass to him. "This should help."  
  
Hesitantly he accepted it and tossed the pills back washing it down his throat with the cool water. "Thanks."  
  
"Oh, I think you will be regretting saying that."  
  
"Why?"  
  
She pulled out the bottle from behind her back and grinned like a Cheshire cat. "You'll see."  
  
His eyes widened in shock reading the words on the bottle screaming clear as day. "EX LAX". Tsukushi had already scurried out the door with her maniacal laughter echoing through the house. It took only a matter of minutes for the ex lax to take effect. He was going to be spending a whole lot more time with the porcelain god than he thought.  
  
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Tsukushi happily skipped her way to the kitchen humming to herself in victory while she opened up the cabinets pulling out various items for breakfast. As she poured some cereal into a bowl she peered over the counter seeing a head resting against the couch watching the colorful blobs squealing some unintelligible gibberish to one another. The head turned around and a face popped up staring directly at her.  
  
"I'm hungry," the little girl whined.  
  
Tsukushi only smiled back at the little angel and replied, "I'll have breakfast ready in a few minutes. Hurry up and get dressed. You don't want to be late for school."  
  
"Okay," she whispered with a twinge of disappointment in her voice. The little girl shrugged her shoulders and stretched her chubby arms into the air yawning. She wiped away the sleepiness still in her eyes and trudged toward her bedroom listlessly swaying her arms to and fro.  
  
Tsukushi continued preparing breakfast all while berating herself in her into for allowing a stranger into her home. She knew nothing about him except for the fact that Akira had recruited him. Akira did have a pretty good instinct when it came to people, but after that last guy she was beginning to think twice about his abilities to read people. For all she knew, Tsukasa was just another serial rapist running from the law getting his kicks from booze and pills when no women were to be found.  
  
What's a girl to do?  
  
"All ready!" the little girl screamed scrambling up onto the high stool of the counter grabbing the box of cereal to stare at cartoon on the back.  
  
Tsukushi placed the bowl in front of the little girl and grabbed a brush running it through her long brown tresses. "So what will it be today? A simple ponytail? Braids? Mm."  
  
With a mouth full of cereal and milk dripping from her mouth, she muffled, "I want it just like yours!"  
  
She nodded her head and divided her hair into two pigtails. As she plaited her hair she carefully wove a simple pink ribbon into each braid allowing the ends to dangle freely at the bottom. "Finished." She pulled the hand mirror in front of the girl's face, which instantly lit up at the sight of her mother's handiwork.  
  
"Pretty."  
  
"Hurry up. We don't want to be late," she gently scolded her daughter tossing the dirty dished into the sink.  
  
Tsukushi grabbed her purse from the counter and checked through Kaya's backpack one more time making sure everything was accounted for. As they walked through the door, she could hear the faint sound of the toilet flushing from one of the inner bedrooms. The sound of footsteps could be heard approaching the door to exit the room, but then there were hastened steps and the sound of the bathroom door being slammed shut again. All the while Tsukushi couldn't wipe the silly smirk on her face. He was going to be in there for a while.  
  
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It had already been Tsukasa's tenth visit to the bathroom; and by this point, all the energy in his body was drained out of him. He collapsed on the bed feeling his stomach revolting in its churning. It seemed like there was nothing left to come out of his body. As he lay there praying for god to strike him down now as an act of mercy, he could hear a door slam shut and lock.  
  
She left me alone here to die, didn't she? This woman is indescribable. She's coming a close second to my mother as the devil incarnate. When I get the chance I'll make sure she'll rue the day she ever messed with Doumyouji Tsukasa. Justice shall be served. My revenge shall be sweet.  
  
He slowly opened the bedroom door and peaked a head out making sure he was the only one left in the place. Since she wasn't around he thought it would be no better time than the present to check her out. Tsukasa helped himself to a cup of coffee to calm his unsettled stomach and abate his pounding hangover. He strolled out into the living room settling himself into the soft leather couch stretching his legs up onto the coffee table.  
  
It was rather surprising to see the drastic difference between Akira's home and Tsukushi's. While Akira was a slob living in a sub inhabitable dump, Tsukushi was living in a high rise in what appeared to be in a more affluent district. All of her furnishing were of the best quality, although they seemed to be older models from a few years back. That was besides the point because even these older models would set anyone back a few hundred thousand yen today. The club was quite profitable, but in no way could it provide a simple waitress to acquire all these assets. Something definitely wasn't right.  
  
Another odd observation he made was the fact the walls were lined with bookcases filled with novels. Half expecting them to be trashy supermarket type soft porn kind of books, he picked one up rather ragged book pulled out amongst the stacks. His eyes scanned through the selection and widened with curiosity as he realized the expansive collection of works from Kant, Longfellow, Dickens, and Thoreau.  
  
The plot thickens, he thought to himself. Tsuksuhi may not be the person she seems to be. From what I've seen of he s far, she's nothing or and nothing less ha a crude, uneducated waitress. She has no manners whatsoever and a mean streak in her tat could only come from the streets. This requires further analysis.  
  
Taking a sip from he aimlessly wandered about the room trying to look for clues into this woman's history. Could this all be some sort of conspiracy on his mother's part to drag him back home? Yes, he was being paranoid, but with a woman like his mother like his anyone would be wary of strangers. Her spies could be anywhere, even this girl. He stopped in front of a set of photographs neatly lined up individual frames. The first one was nothing special, just a group shot from the club. Beside it was one of Tsukushi when she was probably 15 or so since she was wearing a high school uniform. There was a hint of mischief in her eyes as she cocked her head back and smiled right into the camera winking one eye. The other photographs were more random shots of Tsukushi with Soujiro and Akira or Tsukushi and Lolita.  
  
Wait! What's this? Interesting. The last few photographs were much different from the others. What happened here?  
  
There was something different in Tsukushi. That fiery exterior she played off was dismissed for a more submissive demeanor. She wasn't the confidant, haughty woman from the other photographs. It was even odder to see her leaning against a man at least a head taller than her. The sunlight shone down on his tan face framed by spiky tousled bleach blonde hair. He was of a medium build with taut muscles that peeked from under his shirt. His arm was wrapped around Tsukushi's shoulder pulling her closer to him. He grinned into the camera flashing one of those killer playboy smiles similar to the ones Tsukasa had seen Akira and Soujiro use the night before on all the female customers. Tsukushi appeared so tiny beside this man wearing a short white sundress that hung over her frail bone think body. Her hand was touching her face pushing back the hair blowing in her face that seemed untouched by any cosmetics. She was staring at Tsukasa with eyes that spoke volumes of innocence and virtue.  
  
The next photograph was even more shocking. It was once again Tsukushi and that guy, but this time he was cradling something in his arms. Swaddled in a pale yellow blanket was a newborn baby with a wrinkled, scrunched up face. The man protectively held the child close to his chest looking down at the miracle of life probably whispering some sweet words o the new life. Tsukushi, dressed in a hospital gown, was leaning over his shoulder with her arm draped around him allowing a small smile to escape her lips.  
  
Finally, the last photograph was only of Tsukushi , the man, and the baby now a toddler teetering on losing her balance while standing up. They were sitting on a blanket by a lake. The man was holding his hands underneath the chubby girl preparing to catch her the moment she fell. This might have appeared to be a happy family moment, but the look on Tsukushi's face marred it all. She was distant looking away towards the water not paying much attention to the people around her. There was a certain sadness in her eyes as if she were holding back some great pain. All the youthfulness in her face had vanished to be replaced by a newfound, jaded persona. It must have been the beginning of her transformation to the woman she was now.  
  
Of course, using his power of deduction Tsukasa formed his impression of Tsukushi. It must have been the same old story that you've heard a thousand times. Young impressionable girl goes out searching for some kind of affection or love tat she couldn't get from her parents and finds it in an older man. Older, wealthier man seduces young girl, strings her along for a while until she gets pregnant. Man tells her he will stay with her for the baby all the while trying to balance all the other women he has on the side. Girl has baby and hopes man will settle down with her and start family. Man buys her silence of their relationship by getting her an expensive apartment with furnishing promising they will be together only to run away leaving a jilted woman and a bastard child. Girl now a woman with nothing left find job in night club and dignity to raise child, but leaves everything man ever gave her intact in hopes he will one day return. Yep, it was the same old story. However, as most people would know the mind's imaginations can get the best of us luring you into fantasies of fictional truths.  
  
He turned his gaze away from the smiling faces wondering what other clues he could find to back up his tale. He was beginning to be disgusted by this woman. She embodied part of what he hated most in this world. She was just another whore like the others his father fucked senseless and his mother "disposed" of. Perhaps she did deserve the life she got. The only victim of the situation would be the kid. She probably would have been better off if she was given up for adoption or disposed of as a fetus. He wandered back into the bedroom he was in earlier assuming that it must have been hers and headed straight for the dresser drawers. It wasn't a huge shock when each drawer revealed men's clothing ranging from Ralph Lauren to Armani. The closet was half filled with suits while the other half with women's clothing. This room must be their bedroom. Something on the nightstand caught his eye, though. It was a man's watch, a Rolex at that. He picked it up inspecting the finely engraved letters on the inside. "Shinimori".  
  
Shinimori. That name sounds vaguely familiar. Where have I heard that name before. Think, Tsukasa. It's on the tip of my tongue where I've heard that name. Shinimori..oil! That's it! I remember mother going on and on about that company. It was one of the oldest established families alongside mine. I remember hearing a lot about them back when I was in high school, but then it just seemed to disappear into oblivion. I know I read somewhere about what happened. I just can't damn remember now.  
  
As he was about to sift through her lingerie letting his perversions get the better of him, the sound of keys clinking in the lock brought his attention to the compromising position he did not want to be caught in. He quickly slammed all the drawers and doors, and dove back out into the living room jumping onto the couch and pretending to be reading one of the magazines scattered on the coffee table.  
  
Tsukushi kicked the door open with her foot while dragging bags of groceries from behind. Her heavy load slowed down her steps and it was quite comical to watch her kicking one bag in front of her while lugging another behind. She glanced up to see him engrossed in one of her Victoria's Secrets catalogues. He caught a look at her glaring right at him and focused his attention on what was in front of him realizing it was a lingerie catalogue and dropping it like it was on fire.  
  
"Let me help you," he politely suggested as he grabbed one of her bags.  
  
"Thanks," she muttered as she rifled through the stack of mail in her hands.  
  
As he watched her silently put things away, shifted from one foot to the other not knowing what to do. Were they enemies or friends? He would not be able to handle another Ex Lax fiasco.  
  
Tsukushi placed the last carton of orange juice into the now well stocked refrigerator and sat down at the kitchen table. She neatly folded her hands in her lap. "Sit down," she coldly ordered.  
  
Tuskasa took a deep breath and did as she requested taking the empty seat across from her.  
  
"Give me your wallet, first."  
  
For some odd reason, Tsukasa obeyed against his better judgment. The woman had already tried to kill him once and the dread of disobeying was too overwhelming for him to fight her.  
  
She opened up his beat up old wallet and took out all the money he had earned the night before and stuck it into her purse. "That'll be juts enough to pay for the cleaning of my car's interior. You made quite a mess last night. I hope they get rid of that god awful smell."  
  
He fell backwards slightly briefly recalling vomiting all over her shirt and her car. He deserved it to have his money taken for that ungodly mess.  
  
Her face was utterly expressionless only worsening the tension in the room. The slight tapping of her nails against the glass table was driving him insane. After the earlier incidents, the cool bitch attitude had returned. "I called Akira earlier to discuss what we would be doing about you. You did okay for your first night." She leaned back against her chair and looked past him. It's been awhile since we've had some new blood in the club. The last guy Akira picked up was a total wreck. So you still want the job?"  
  
IT was one of those moments where Tsukasa had to grip onto the seat of his chair for support before he fell out of it. "Well the pay is good, so yeah." He smugly smiled to himself in satisfaction that he had proved her wrong about his skills.  
  
The tapping of her nails ceased. "Fine. Just to let you know this is all temporary. The second you screw up, you're gone. This is a huge offer I'm giving you and it doesn't come without a price. You have to be inducted into the family. Trust is a big issue for us. Right now I trust you as much as Hitler. Trust has to be earned and you have to prove yourself worthy of our trust. Once you're in you are in for life. We have a certain unspoken codes we adhere to. We're not yakuza or anything like that. You can choose to leave on your own free will. Though if you choose to leave, you choose to forget everyone and everything you have seen or met at the club. We won't acknowledge you and we respectfully ask you do not acknowledge us."  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Okay then. First things first. You need to know the basics about working at Last Resort. No smoking. No drinking, No drugs. And lastly what happens within those walls stay within those walls. What goes on in Last Resort stays in Last Resort. Anything you do, say or hear never leaves the building. We have a binding confidentiality agreement with our customers and employees of don't ask don't tell. Got it?"  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
"Now I just need a few personal questions answered and none of this will ever leave this room. How old are you anyway?"  
  
"23."  
  
"What were you doing living on the street?"  
  
Think fast Tsukasa. She wants answers and you have to be ready to spit them back out without a second thought. I just have to remember to give her enough of the truth to not reveal too much. "I ran out of money and my landlord kicked me out."  
  
"Drugs?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Booze?"  
  
"Once in awhile, but not excessively."  
  
"Jail?"  
  
"Almost." That was actually true. He thought back to those wild days back in high school when he would beat the crap out of anyone who gave him the slightest look that displeased him. It was a pretty good idea until his thirst for bloodshed landed a fellow student in a coma for three days. Hose three days he waited to see whether his victim would make it through the ordeal.  
  
"Women or men?"  
  
I nearly choked on my own saliva when I heard that one. Was there something written on my head that made people question my sexual preference? "Women."  
  
"Fetishes?"  
  
"Nothing out of the ordinary I think."  
  
"Good. We don't need another wanton sex driven freak like Ivy."  
  
"Are you running from somebody?"  
  
"No."  
  
Her eyes narrowed, and her face twisted into a deeper scowl. "Bullshit."  
  
"Des this mean I've lost the job?" he ruefully asked.  
  
"I don't care if it's the cops, yakuza, or an angry wife. The second they come for you, you're gone. We don't need people looking into our business."  
  
He breathed a heavy sigh of relief.  
  
She opened her mouth about to fire another question only to be interrupted by the melodious tune of her cell phone. She hastily yanked it out of her purse and brought eh phone to her ear. "Hello. Uh huh." She sat up and began pacing the kitchen apparently becoming more and more agitated by the minute. "God damnnit, Akira! I told them to make the delivery at 4! Fine. I'll be right there!" She tossed the phone back into her bag and glanced down at her watch. "Shit!" Tsukushi grabbed her keys from the table beside the door ad called out to Tsukasa, who was composing himself after the strange interrogation. "Come with me. There's another crisis at the club as usual. First we need to make a quick stop, though."  
  
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Tsukasa kept a few steps behind his new employer watching her back from behind. She had a certain poise and walk about her that demanded respect and seemed unwilling to back down As they meandered trough the sprawling neighborhood of residential manors enclosed by high stone walls blocking the views of leering outsiders, he noticed their destination. She stopped in front of the gates of an elementary school and got up on her tiptoes to look over the crowds of parents, grandparents, and nannies eagerly waiting to pick up their charge. The cold blank expression she had fixed upon her face warred only upon the appearance of a little girl, the mirror image of her mother. Her entire outfit and hair had been done in a way to resemble a tiny replica of her mother. Although there was something about the child's eyes, that seemed so vaguely familiar. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, though. They were just so unsettling to him.  
  
"Kaya!" Tsukushi yelled waving a hand. She rushed p towards the little girl and swept her up into her arms twirling them in circles until they were dizzy.  
  
The girl's face remained sullen and she dropped to the ground like dead weight. "Sensei wants to talk to you," she guiltily admitted lowering her head in shame.  
  
Her mother glanced up to see a very irate teacher with her arms folded looking their direction. Another woman holding the hand of a little boy with what was becoming a black eye on his face. "Oh god!" she gasped. "You! I want to know what happened!" She picked up the little girl and walked a few feet away to kneel down at eye level for what was a very heated discussion.  
  
Tsukasa leaned back against the high stonewall waiting for mother and daughter to finish talking. He couldn't quite hear what they were whispering, and frankly he could care less. In a daze, he watched Tsukushi trying to pry the information out of her unwilling daughter. From the looks of whatever it was that got the little girl provoked it caused her mother to be agitated ten fold. He muttered under his breath, "Like mother, like daughter."  
  
"Hey, Tsukasa! Watch her for a minute while I take care of this."  
  
He was knocked out of his thoughts and to his surprise found the little girl grabbing onto his hand. "Hey, I don't know anything about kids!"  
  
"You'll be fine. Kaya, be good," she sternly warned waving a finger.  
  
"My name is Makino Kaya. What's your name?" she inquisitively asked tugging on his sleeve.  
  
"Tsukasa," he grumbled back. He tried to avoid eye contact, so that he wouldn't have to deal with the kid any longer. There was just something about kids that freaked him out. They were like little midgets that asked too many damn questions.  
  
"Oye! Mr. Pineapple!"  
  
"What did you just call me?!"  
  
"Mr. Pineapple." She brought a hand up covering her mouth before bursting into hysterical laughter. "Your head looks like a pineapple."  
  
"Look brat." He was about to lay out some colorful language for the little girl, but his train of thought was disrupted by people's screams.  
  
"I want that child expelled for hurting my poor Akito."  
  
"I don't care what you have to say! My daughter told me what your little brat said to her. Her actions were completely provoked. I apologize for my Kaya using physical force to solve the problem, but he got what he deserved. I pay a fucking large amount of money to send her to this school. I'm not going to stand here and listen to this shit. My daughter did nothing wrong. All she did was stand up for herself to avoid any further abuse from this child, who was taught to be a bastard by his parents. Mrs. Nakamura, if you find it so entertaining to spread hateful lies about my own personal business, why don't I enlighten the entire PTA about your husband's own indiscretions? I'm sure they would love to hear about all the details."  
  
The other woman slunk back at her words and bit her bottom lip. Her eyes narrowed into two tiny slits and a venomous tone spit out of her mouth. She covered her son's ears. "My husband would never. He's loyal to his family."  
  
"Oh really, is he? I happen to recall a funny little incident involving chains and a whip if I do recall correctly. Ichiro is one of our best customers."  
  
The woman's face paled at the sound of her husband's name. "You slut!" She raised a hand releasing a hard slap across Tukushi's face.  
  
Tsukushi's head jerked to the side, but she quickly turned back to face her attacker. "I think we are even now. Kaya hit your Akito and now you have returned the same favor to me. The matter is settled unless you would like me to call the police to charge you with assault. We have witnesses here."  
  
Once again the woman fumed as she looked around her and realized the audience they had attracted. She violently grabbed her son's arm and pulled him towards the car. "This is far from over!" she idly threatened. "I will take this up with the superintendent if I have to."  
  
"Go ahead, bitch! You're not the first one who tried to kick us out!" she derisively spit back. Tsukushi calmly walked away and gabbed Kaya's hand leading them away from the audience of parents, students, and teachers. She kept her head proudly held up high as the throng of people parted making an empty path. "Don't look down for a minute Kaya. The second you look down, they'll think they have won. Remember that,' she whispered.  
  
Tsukasa ran to catch up to them and kept his comments to himself. This was all a matter between mother and daughter. The rest of the walk was kept in silence.  
  
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Akira leaned back in the cushy leather executive chair behind the desk of the back office. While everyone else worked endlessly to clean up the last night's mess, he would generally find some way out of doing any manual labor by making some lame excuse about needing to take care of some paperwork or administrative things. In reality, he would sit with his legs propped up on the desk watching TV catching up on the latest soaps. It was his guilty little secret.  
  
"Akira!"  
  
"Shit! The bitch is back!" Akira yelped as he stumbled backwards out of his chair and onto the floor. He scrambled for the remote turning the TV off and grabbed a pen and some papers pretending he was making orders for new supplies.  
  
"Didn't you check over the order before you placed it?! I specifically remember telling you to order five cases of Cristal, not fifty! I've spent the last twenty minutes trying to persuade the delivery guy to take it back." Tsukushi slammed her hand down onto the paper he was writing on. She glared down at him waiting for his answer.  
  
Akira knew what to do in situations like this. Akira rule #45: When you find yourself in deep shit by Tsukushi change topic immediately to avoid wrath. He scanned the room and found the perfect scapegoat. "Look who's here?! Kaya!"  
  
"Akira!" she screamed jumping into his inviting arms.  
  
"How's my girl doing today?" He gently let her slide off of his shoulders and knelt down to talk eye to eye. "Wow! You're very pretty today. You must be making all the boys in your class fall madly in love with you."  
  
"Ewww. Boys have cooties!"  
  
"But I'm a boy, too. So I must have cooties."  
  
"No you're not.'  
  
"Then what am I?"  
  
"Mama says you're a donkey."  
  
"Donkey?!" he screamed bug eyed. "Tsukushi, what are you teaching this innocent child?" he gasped holding his hand to his heart in horror.  
  
"I'm only telling the truth. You are an ass," she nonchalantly replied as she scribbled some numbers into the club's ledgers.  
  
"Ha ha ha. Very funny," he sarcastically replied. "We should get going anyway. It's almost time for our meeting."  
  
"I'll be right there. Just give me a few minutes to finish up the books for last night's takings."  
  
Akira pulled Kaya into his arms and began twirling in circles making her cry out in sheer joy. "Let's go!" he started for the door before and patted Tsukasa on the shoulder. "Hey, Tsukasa! Congratulations are in order, I see."  
  
He emerged from the corner he had hidden himself in order to observe the scene before him. "For what?"  
  
"Welcome to the family," he grinned. "I knew you would be perfect for the job," he winked.  
  
Tsukasa inwardly groaned. Then why do I feel like I've entered a nut house then. He sighed and put on a weak smile. "Thanks."  
  
He followed Akira and Kaya back into the main room taking a seat at the round table conference that was about to begin. He chose a seat beside Soujiro who shot him a smile before turning his attention back to his cell making plans with some woman later that night.  
  
"Jiro! Why don't we go see a movie later tonight," Lolita cheerily suggested as she wrapped her arms around Soujioro and leaned over his shoulder.  
  
"Shh!" he loudly whispered holding his hand over the phone. 'I've already got plans tonight. Maybe another time." He averted his attentions back to his date for the night. "Baby, there wasn't another girl with me. It was just one of my co-workers bugging me about something. About tonight."  
  
"Ooohh! That was a burn!" Akira chuckled to himself.  
  
"What are you looking at!" she yelled at Tsukasa who was just a helpless bystander. "And you Akira! Mind your own fucking business!"  
  
"Hey! Don't use such language in front of the children." He covered Kaya's ears and glared back at her.  
  
"Yuki, why are you so mad at Soujiro?" Kaya asked tugging on Yuki's hand.  
  
"It's nothing, sweetie," she replied laying a gentle hand on the little girl's head. She bent down and put on a brave face shielding the disappointment in it. "I just remembered that I made a fresh batch of cookies this morning."  
  
"Cookies?!" she squealed.  
  
"Come with me. I think I left them somewhere behind the counter."  
  
The two walked away in search of baked goods towards the bar counter where Ivy was busy chatting up Junpei and some of the guys in the band.  
  
Soujiro flipped his phone closed and let out a restless sigh. "Where's Tsukuhsi already? I have some big plans later."  
  
"Which one is it tonight?" Akira nosily inquired. He surreptitiously leaned over to his comrade playboy grinning from ear to ear. 'Is it the one with the huge." He stretched his arms out from his chest motioning a part of the female anatomy. "Double D."  
  
"That's the one."  
  
"Man! You're so lucky. You gotta tell me how she was later!"  
  
"No way! I don't share that kind of stuff like Ivy."  
  
"Dude! You gotta share with your buddy." He put on the face of a wounded puppy and nudged his friend while trying to annoy him to death with his whiny voice.  
  
"Get the hell away from me! It's not like it's show and tell."  
  
"Fine! If you won't tell me some juicy details then I'll get some from Tsukasa. I heard you spent the night at Tsukushi's. He he he."  
  
Tsukasa looked in disbelief at Akira's lecherous eyes. "What are you thinking?! Of course nothing happened!" he screamed in defense. "Get your head out of the gutter."  
  
"Come on. I know something had to have happened. Maybe a little bit of you know what."  
  
"Hell no! Not with that wench!"  
  
"Aaaww. You're no fun," Akira pouted. He scraped the tip of his finger against the table sulking to himself.  
  
"Don't mind him," Soujior whispered to Tsukasa. "He's just desperate to hear something cause he hasn't been laid in a week."  
  
"No! It's only been three days!" He banged his head against the table with a thud. "God, do I need to get laid! I've become so desperate I've been thinking about going to Ivy to relieve my pressure." "Don't do it man! She'll tie you up in chains and beat your ass with a paddle. Who knows what kind of kinky games she's into lately!" Soujiro playfully shook him out of his stupor.  
  
"What the hell are you two yakking about!" Ivy yelled as she grabbed a chair out from the table. She draped herself in a straddle position onto the chair leaning her ample bosom against the back.  
  
This brought an immediate silence.  
  
"Nothing," they all replied in unison acting oblivious to the earlier suggestion. Soujiro held his hand to his mouth trying to suppress his laughter.  
  
"Okay everybody! Are we ready to start?" Tsukuhsi shouted as she walked out carrying a large planner in front of her. "Kaya, I left your coloring books and markers behind the counter. You play quietly while Mama works, okay?"  
  
"Okay!" Kaya yelled back with a spurt of cookie coming out at the same time. She returned to the plate of cookies in front of her picking up another two and stuffing them into her mouth.  
  
"Let's start the meeting then, shall we?" Tsukushi flipped open her large binder to a page with random scrawls all over it. "Where are Rui and Shizuka?"  
  
"They called earlier and said hey couldn't make it," Akira quietly spoke up.  
  
A heavy resentful sigh came out of her. "I should have known," she muttered under her breath. "Let's get the first matter of business over with then. As you know must realize, Tsukasa is our newest addition to the family. I thought we might have a little orientation since we're all pretty much here. I think formal introductions and a short explanation of our positions are in order. You've already met our bouncer, Junpei."  
  
"Nice to see you back here!" Junpei waved.  
  
"Akira is our newly promoted manager. Soujiro is the head bartender. The weird, quiet piano player from yesterday is Rui. The other band mates include Thomas, Kin, and Tsuyoshi."  
  
"Yo!" a set of manly voices yelled out in unison.  
  
"Next we move onto the waitresses/entertainers. When we are in the club working we go strictly by our stage names. Never call us by our real names. A ton of shit can happen when our customers find out our real names. Anonymity is the key here, so remember that. On my right, we have Lolita or Yuuki."  
  
"Hi!"  
  
"The slut on her right is Ivy better known as Sakurako."  
  
"I am not a slut! It's not my fault guys can't seem to keep their hands off of me. Look at this package!"  
  
"Whatever. Our other performer is Starr who you saw last night. You can just call her Shizuka. And finally there is me, Tsukushi aka Mona. Any questions?"  
  
All eyes directed towards Tsukasa who was still trying to get all the names straight. "How did you all get your stage names?"  
  
"We each chose our own names, but I'll let them explain for themselves why they chose them."  
  
"I'll go first!" Yuuki volunteered raising a hand in the air waving it frantically. She stood up as if she were n a classroom holding a piece of hair between her fingers twirling it. "I chose my name because of my little school girl image. I do the whole high school girl act on stage for the old pervs looking for some underage action. Ya know what I'm saying- the whole Lolita complex kind of thing." She sat down and snapped her gum.  
  
"My mother named me Sakurako after the flower. I chose Ivy because while I may look beautiful I'm dangerous like poison Ivy. My act revolves the whole Moulin Rouge type brothel thing. I cater to basically old and young satisfying their prostitute fantasies."  
  
Tsukushi broke in. Since Starr isn't here I'll explain for her. She has some stupid fixation on becoming a star. A dumb play on words I must say. Sounds more like a porn name if you ask me,' she sneered. "Her act is basically more a laid back act. She draws in the more sophisticated crowds looking for a pretty face and a decent voice to be seduced by."  
  
"What about you?'  
  
"I don't have an act. The origin of my name is a secret, though. You can try to figure it out though. None of the others here have yet to figure that one out."  
  
"Why don't you just tell us already!" Akira yelled in exasperation. "You make it sound like if you told us you'd have to kill us."  
  
"Shut up, will you? Onto the rest of our orientation. Our work schedule goes like this. Monday through Wednesday we're closed, but you are still expected to show up here to help out with cleaning, maintenance and receiving supplies. We rotate schedules giving each of us two days off in the week. Since you are new Tsukasa you will be coming everyday for training. Soujiro and Akira will show you the ropes to bartend. When neither of them are here, you will have to clean or move supplies. Junpei, I want you to train him to act as security too. He's a pretty good fighter from what I've seen. He's got the muscle to watch the door. As for the girls they come here on the off days to practice their acts with the band, so no matter what there will always be someone in the building with you. You are required to work Thursday through Sunday, our busiest nights."  
  
"That reminds me. I need to double-check our act schedules. Sakurako, you've got Thursday night. Lolita has Friday. Starr has got Sunday. Finally, Sunday will be Sakurako half the night and then we'll switch to DJ music the rest of the night giving you a break. Any problems?"  
  
"Nope," they answered in unison.  
  
"Well I think that's about it for now. I'll end the meeting early since Jiro has got what Akira would refer to as "hot ass" waiting for him. Meeting adjourned." She slammed the book closed ending the meeting. "Junpei, I want to talk to you about last night for a moment."  
  
"Sure," he replied as his face turned solemn. "I heard about the attack. Are you okay?"  
  
"Not bad except for a few minor scrapes and cuts."  
  
Everyone else at the table grabbed their things and began to scurry out in search of their nightly kicks.  
  
"Tomorrow we start training Tsukasa! Be here by three. Ja ne!"  
  
"See ya tomorrow!" Yuuki waved as she stormed out running after Soujiro. "Hey wait up!"  
  
Akira elbowed Tsukasa in his side. "Tsukushi forgot one part of the orientation."  
  
"Tsukasa quizzically raised an eyebrow. "What?"  
  
"She didn't fill you in on the dynamics of our relationships. You have to know how things are between us to understand how we work. It'll keep you out of trouble in case you bring up a sore topic."  
  
"That girl, Yuuki, has got some huge thing for Jiro. Too bad he would never look at her like that."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"It's very complicated. Jiro has a certain reputation as a ladies man. The longest relationship he ever had lasted a week. He changes women like he changes underwear. Yuuki seems to be a little sex kitten and all, but deep down it's all just talk. She's too much of a goody goody to go far with any man." He raised his hands up in despair. "I guess she sees him as her knight in shining armor. It's sort of sad how she's got that fixation on being the one to change him, Jiro was the one who brought her here, but as to her background I won't reveal that. It's up to each of us to tell you our background story. That's the rule here. We tell our story to who we want to. Thomas over there has a thing for Sakurako. They have some sort of weird friendship going on there. Sakurako asks him to do something and he does it. It doesn't matter what it is. He'll do it as long as she asks him to. I feel sorry for the poor gaijin. Rui hired him here to DJ and play the band. I personally recruited Sakurako, too."  
  
"What about you? How did you end up here?"  
  
"Ah, onto me. I'm one of the oldest here next to Jiro who was recruited right after me. I was one of the original hires under the first owner. I was once like you living a shitty life getting kicked out onto the street here and there. Originally Last Resort was only made up of the owner, Rui, Shizuka, and Tsukushi. They were here for the founding of this club. Rui and Shizuka hooked up a couple of years back. Sometimes I think it's a one sided relationship. Rui is head over heels in love with Shizuka, but she would rather focus on her career than Rui. Poor schmuck."  
  
"What about Tsukushi? What's her deal? She doesn't seem to like Shizuka much. It almost seems as if she is jealous or something." Tsukasa prodded wanting to investigate her background some more."  
  
Akira faltered for a moment. "Umm. I won't even go into that. There's a lot of shit behind them that none of us dare bring up. The most I can tell you is that Tsukushi's been running the place as owner for the last few years after our old owner left."  
  
"She owns the place?" Tsukasa's jaw dropped wondering how that was possible. "How old can she be? 17?"  
  
Akira chuckled to himself. "Tsukushi's 21 this year. She sort of I guess inherited the place after the old owner split."  
  
"Is he the same guy who knocked her up with the kid and split?"  
  
"That's not my place to talk about. If I were you I wouldn't pry too much into Tsukushi's past. She can be pretty scary.'  
  
"I know I've already seen her in action. She almost killed me this morning."  
  
"Aaahhh.the ex lax test."  
  
"Ex lax test?! She does that to everyone?!"  
  
"Yeah. We all went through it. It's a good sign. She usually does that with ones she plans on keeping around. It's sort of a. I dunno, a purification ritual to purge you. Those who stick around long enough after going through that hell prove that they can survive this."  
  
"That bitch!" Tsukasa fumed.  
  
"Shit! Look at the time. I've got to go and pick up my lady friend. Her husband's out of town on a business trip tonight."  
  
"Yo, Akira! I need you to drop me off back at home to get ready for my date."  
  
"I don't have time for that Sakurako. I need to pick up Celine!"  
  
"Come on you man whore! If you leave now you can make it to meet your sugar momma."  
  
"Later Tsukasa," Akira nodded as he ran out the door.  
  
"Hey what about me?!"  
  
"Go find a ride with someone else!"  
  
Tsukasa stood alone glancing from his left and right seeing that no one was left except a very angry Sakurako. Kaya was alone, unattended by the bar. He thought about leaving, but after that incident he saw last night the club wasn't the safest place to be for a little girl. He hopped onto the stool beside her and looked down at her drawing.  
  
"What do you have there?" he peered down to see what resembled a stick man with a pineapple head.  
  
"You," she mumbled in deep concentration  
  
Sakurako took the other seat beside Kaya and picked up the drawing. "Pretty good one kid! Looks just like him."  
  
"Hey kid! Shouldn't you show a little more respect for your elders. You shouldn't go around calling us, adults by our first names."  
  
Kaya responded with a confused look before returning to her drawing.  
  
Sakurako pulled out a thin cigarette from a silver holder. She lit it up and took a long puff. "Don't bother. She calls all of us by our first names. Tsukushi is into that new age shit parenting where she treats her kid like an equal. If I ever did that when I was her age I would have had the shit beat out of me for being disrespectful. That new parenting thing is all bullshit. You gotta smack these kids around once in awhile to get them to fly straight."  
  
"Sakurako, need a ride?"  
  
"Sure darling," she sweetly replied laying on the niceness thickly for Thomas. "See you later, Tsukasa," she waved as she put out her cigarette.  
  
Now man and child were left completely alone. Tsukasa stared up at the wall trying ot think of where he would stay the night. A hotel perhaps? With what money? She took all of it earlier. I guess it's back to the bench then.  
  
He turned to the little girl wondering what had made such a sweet looking girl resort to violence on her classmate.  
  
"What's that?" he asked pointing to a blob with a black and blue face.  
  
"That's Akito."  
  
"Wasn't he that kid you hit today?"  
  
"Yes. It's his fault that Mama is mad at me," she grumbled.  
  
"Why did you hit him anyway?"  
  
"He told me Mama was a bad person. He wouldn't play with me because his mother wouldn't let him. He used to play with me before. I told him Mama wasn't a bad person, but he wouldn't listen. I said I wanted to grow up to be just like Mama, but he told me his mother said I should hope to god I don't end up like her."  
  
"End up like what?"  
  
"A whore."  
  
"Hey, what are you doing here still?'  
  
"Huh? What?" He snapped out of his worrying to see a weary Tsukushi approaching. "Go home already!"  
  
"I don't have a home," he mumbled in return.  
  
"You've got money. Go to a hotel then."  
  
"What money? You took it all this morning."  
  
"Well there is a shelter four blocks down the street."  
  
"Thanks," he replied with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He picked up his bag and began to trudge out the door.  
  
"Hey wait a minute!" She looked down at the floor fighting some inner turmoil on whether or not to suggest what she was thinking. "I've got an extra bedroom. You could stay with us for now if you like until you get yourself back on your feet."  
  
"Are you serious?' he asked in disbelief.  
  
"It's not like I'm letting you stay for free. The rent will be $500 a month. Utilities and food are included. I'll take it out of your next paycheck."  
  
"I don't think that's a good idea."  
  
"You have nowhere else to stay. Fine, if you prefer the shelter then go ahead."  
  
Should I go or not? What if she's some psycho looking to kill me and lock my rotting carcass in her closet for weeks until the neighbors complain of the smell and the cops find my dead body. Damn! What a dilemma. One: get raped by homeless men in shower at the shelter. Two: sleep with one eye open in fear of psycho bitch. I guess I know where I'll take my chances.  
  
"I'll take the room."  
  
"Fine. Let's go home then."  
  
---------------------------------------------  
  
Tsukushi emerged from a bedroom wearing a pale silk robe hat clung to her body. She silently crept over to Tsukasa's room to check up on him after he had moved all her clothing from the closets into her bedroom.  
  
"How's it going in here?" she asked holding two cups of coffee.  
  
Tsukasa stepped out from the walk in closet holding a hanger and shirt in hand. "Almost done." He thankfully took the cup of coffee offered to him and was about to sip it before he remembered the morning's incident opting not to drink it.  
  
She gracefully sauntered over to the closet and eyed the tiny amount of space he had taken up with his clothes. It only made her pity the poor guy more.  
  
What is it with me and this guy? First I can't stand his guts and am ready to toss him back on the street. Okay, so he saved me from that bastard last night. I owed him enough to give him a job for that. But offering him to live in my home?! What the hell was I thinking?! I hate to admit it, but some gut instinct is telling me that this guy is okay. If he saved me last night, he probably won't try anything with me. Rapists don't stop fellow rapists, I guess. He would have done the same thing for this guy. Look at me taking him just like he took me in all those years ago. God, do I miss him. He left his family, Kaya and me all alone. I hate that bastard for leaving us, but at the same time I can't stop loving him. Why else would I have kept all his stuff intact perfectly the way he left it. Maybe it's time I let go.  
  
"Umm. Is that all the clothes you have?" she asked pointing to the scarce number of shirts and slacks hanging in the closet.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"You might need better clothes for work. You look about the same size as him. You can use some of the clothes in the drawers and closet if you like."  
  
What the hell is she suggesting? There's no way I would ever wear that guy's clothes. They probably reek with the stains of sex, women and booze. I don't want anything associated to her lover's things.  
  
"No thank you. Why would you offer me the clothes of the man who left you with a kid to work in some sleazy nightclub prostituting yourself every night? I do have my pride."  
  
Her lips tightened into two thin lines. She was just trying to be nice and he threw it back in her face.  
  
Good one, Tsukasa. Offend your landlady's secret lover. I'm on a roll today. I bet she's going to kick me out now. Why did I even bother unpacking? Me and my stupid mouth.  
  
Tsukushi sat picked up a photograph on the nightstand of her "happy family".  
  
"Pride. I have pride. Why else would I work my ass off every night to support Kaya? I could care less what you think of me, but you have no idea what my life is like. My baby is fed, has a roof over her head, and has everything that she has ever needed. Don't make an ass out of yourself with your accusations. I'll see you tomorrow morning." She clutched her precious photograph to her chest and sullenly walked out the door.  
  
"Why are you letting me stay?' he asked still confused as to her leniency on him.  
  
"I don't judge people based on appearances," she curtly replied. "I'm used to people assuming things about me. I know who I am and I can hold my head up proudly knowing who I am."  
  
"Aren't you afraid I'm some sorta of psycho who will kill you and your child in your sleep?"  
  
"No. I have this." She pulled out a bottle of mace from under her sleeve. "Sweet dreams."  
  
That night Tsukasa slept with the door locked. 


	4. Mornings

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Yada. Yada. Yada.  
  
Skyla ramblings: Here's another chapter! I'm happy people are enjoying this fic. I didn't think anyone would to begin with. This chapter is basically a small peek into the lives of the characters- sorta small vignettes. I hope the skipping around won't be too confusing. I've been bitten with the writer's bug on this one. As usual, please review!  
  
Chapter 4: Mornings  
  
As a gentle morning breeze sent the sheer curtains fluttering, the unwelcome intrusion of the sun's rays blasted into the room falling onto the peaceful sleeping face of Tsukasa. Normally he would have been able to just pull up the sheets over his face and allow himself to drift back into a peaceful slumber, but oddly enough he was already awake. He rolled over onto his side groaning at the lack of sleep his body was forced to endure. He was just beginning to realize how what seemed like a harmless offer had turned into a test of his wills- physically and mentally.  
  
I really hate the mornings the most. I've always been more of a night person to begin with. I wasn't able to sleep much last night after what I interpret was a death threat from Tsukushi. Deep down I really hate that spiteful bitch. Yeah, I've always been like this, bite the hand that feeds you. I'm nothing more than an ingrate and damn proud of that. Well I guess I better get used to all this. Anything is better than my old home sweet home. No family can be more dysfunctional than mine.  
  
He looked up through bleary eyes at the alarm clock resting on the nightstand to his left. It was only 5 in the morning. Seeing as how it was still way to early for any person to be awake, he shut his eyes willing his body to relax. Slowly, his mind wandered into a dark spiraling world of dreamless sleep.  
  
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Tsukasa wasn't the only person awake in the wee hours of the morning. In the living room, a tiny figure sat hunched over the coffee table madly typing away on a laptop surrounded by large volumes of books. In between the incessant clicking of the keyboard's keys and the rustling of pages being turned, the repetitive cycle of alternating typing and flipping of pages was only broken by the sudden break of a sip of coffee or the sudden exasperated sigh followed by slamming her head down onto the desk only to start typing again.  
  
"Mama," a hoarse whisper echoed into the room.  
  
Tsukushi dropped everything she was involved with and scooped up the sleepy eyed girl standing in her pajamas rubbing her sleep filled eyes. "What is it, honey?"  
  
"Can I have a glass of water?" she yawned.  
  
"Go back to bed, and I'll be right there." She ushered her child back into her bedroom while she walked over to the kitchen to fill a glass with tap water from the sink. She had to slap herself into consciousness at the touch of water overflowing onto her hand from the faucet. She pulled the glass away, turned the water off, and entered to bedroom hoping to lull Kaya back to sleep. She pushed the door open to find her daughter, who was violently coughing up what sounded like a lung. She sat down beside the trembling girl gently patting her back until the coughing subsided. "Drink this."  
  
"Thank you," she gratefully replied taking careful sips in between coughs. Soon the heavy coughs died out, she lay back onto her bed feeling the heaviness in her eyelids. They slowly fluttered closed.  
  
Tsukushi rubbed her temples forcing herself to not fall prey to the inviting warm comfort of the bed. Her head was throbbing from a combination of lack of sleep and staring at a blinking cursor for hours. Her entire life had seemed to be one big endurance test after another. Whether it was her mind, her heart, or her body she pushed through it all never letting the world overcome her.  
  
Why does everything have to be so damn difficult all the time? Sometimes I wonder if I am even here in this place and time. Maybe one day I'll awaken to find that everything I've held to be true was all just some sick nightmare. Nightmare. What am I saying? I should really stop doing this. I allowed myself to be spellbound by a man, who still to this day I question what it was that compelled him to choose me or me to choose him for that matter. Choices. Life is all a matter of choices. Call me a cynic, pessimist, whatever. I don't fall for all that crap about fate and destiny. We determine our own shitty existences one mistake at a time. Here I am feeling all this self-pity and loathing. Shit! I hate it when I fall into one of these funks. It was all worth it in the end, each gut wrenching moment of my 21 years on this earth. I don't even regret meeting him. Damn, I can't deny how beautiful she is. Who would have thought that the mess we started would end with something this- perfect.  
  
It'll always be me-alone. The only person I can rely on is myself. I chose this life, and I'll be damned if I don't try to make the best of it. I'll sell my soul to be better than the people who brought me into this world. I have to do this for me and for her. Screw them all. I'll make something of myself.  
  
She picked up the photo frame she had earlier removed from Tsukasa's room and placed in Kaya's. She held her breath for a moment trying to recapture that moment in her mind, trying to remember that feeling of smiling without a care in the world. Her younger smiling self stared back at her mocking her older self. The sweet innocent babe swaddled in her arms was oblivious to all the joy, hope, and pain that had brought her into the world. The older man beside her draped an arm around her shoulder lost in the mesmerizing spell her daughter had cast upon him. He promised them the world with the security that he would never leave their side. From the moment she had met him, he had actually kept his word on every single promise he had made. It was the first one he broke, and the last he would ever make. Lies. It was all lies. She slammed the picture down sending a crack over the faces in the once flawless glass.  
  
"Mama," Kaya called out in a muffled vice. "Do you miss him?"  
  
"Every second of every day."  
  
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A few streets away from the Makino house, Akira found himself in just another one of his life's funny little predicaments. The cold breeze swept through the morning air sending chills down his spine, and at the same time making his erection go limp. He chuckled to himself thinking about how he could be the only person in the world to remain aroused at a time like this. His teeth chattered as he looked down at the ground below. It was a good ten feet fall below him.  
  
Ah, the things I go through to get laid. I have to admit she was an animal in bed. That's the thing about older women. Everything is always so simple. They've reached the level where relationships don't revolve around that high school fantasy of the reformed bad boy sweeping them off their feet falling madly in love with them. Young girls want the whole package- being showered with gifts and compliments, spending hours spent on mindless banter sharing your life, and having all that lead up to the climactic night of professed love followed by what they refer to as "making love". Yeah, right like that even happens. I prefer a mature woman who just goes out looking for a good fuck. Okay, so most of the ones I go for are married. I always was the type to go looking for trouble. I like to think of myself as a savior to all those lonely, beautiful women in the city abandoned by their husbands too engrossed in their work to realize their wives have gone looking for comfort in the arms of another man.  
  
"Why are you back so early, darling?" the woman questioned trying to shield the twinge of anxiety in her voice.  
  
"Does a loving husband need a reason to come home to his beautiful wife?" the man sarcastically replied. He ripped the sheets off of his King size bed exposing the naked form of his beloved wife.  
  
"I didn't think you were that excited to see me?" she giggled. Like a snake, she slithered over to him draping her body over his back hugging him form behind.  
  
"Where is he, bitch?!" He threw off her advances and violently tossed her back onto the bed.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Don't fake innocent with me. I know you've been screwing him the last few weeks." He bent over and picked up the pair of slacks left in the heap of clothing ripped off in a moment of heated passion. "Where is he? I'll fucking kill that bastard."  
  
"Why do you care now who I'm screwing. You haven't touched me in months. I bet you couldn't even get it up anymore. You don't think I know about your "performance anxiety". He satisfies me in ways you could never do. You know what, I let him fuck me senseless for hours unlike you who goes for the three minute marathon."  
  
Akira inwardly grinned to himself. His legs started to become shaky as one foot almost slipped off the thin ledge. After standing out there for the last fifteen minutes, he was beginning to become bored out of his mind. Calculations for the best landing in some nearby bushes raced through his brain.  
  
Another satisfied customer. It's always the same argument every time with these women. It took me years to build up that kind of stamina. I've always had a penchant for older women. I guess after getting out of the business, it's a little strange to make these visits purely pleasure. It's still pretty much the same old same old. I party hard with the exception of a few details like illegal substance abuse and money being tucked where the sun don't shine. Then again that's nto something I choose to talk about right now. Fuck! I need to get out of here. I vaguely recall parking my baby around the corner somewhere. Their argument could go on for the next few hours. Okay, Akira. You can do this. One! Two! Three!  
  
With one deep breath, Akira jumped off the ledge in one giant leap. Apparently his calculations were a little off, for he landed next to the bushes with a thud. It would have surprised the neighbors to see a full moon out so early in the morning. He streaked through the yard headed towards his car giving quite a show for the eyes of the garden gnomes. Upon reaching his precious car he got down on his knees, peeked under the car, and grasped for something taped to the bottom of the muffler.  
  
"Got it!" he yelled in victory as he pulled out his car keys and wallet that were taped under the car. It was an old trick he had learned long ago. Playboy rule one: Never bring your wallet or keys with you when making a nightly call. He popped open the trunk and pulled out a duffel bag and began rummaging through it. His face paled. Empty.  
  
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I must have forgotten to put some fresh clothes in after last time. Alright, Akira get a hold of yourself. Just get into the car and drive home very quickly. God, I hope I don't get caught by the cops again. I can't take another ticket for public indecency.  
  
He hopped into the driver seat and turned the keys in the ignition expecting to hear the soft purr of the engine. To his surprise, he was greeted by a loud clunk sound. "Come on, baby,"" he pleaded while turning the key once more. The car gave out with a loud hacking wheeze. For a moment, he could feel himself falling into a helpless despair. He calculated the distance to his apartment across town and at the route he would need to go by to go unnoticed by the cops. It would take him at least 45 minutes to get to his place. That would take too damn long. He banged his head against the steering wheel trying to figure out his next move.  
  
"I've got it!"  
  
He jumped out of the car and made a dash through the dark streets as the sun slowly rose out in the horizon illuminating his full moon.  
  
----------------------------------------------  
  
Somewhere across town, Sakurako lazily rolled over in her bed pulling the sheets up closer to her nude body that screamed nothing less than perfection. Her breath reeked of cigarettes and booze. It was a rather god awful taste to wake up to. Something beside her began to stir making the mattress beneath them shift under the strain of the heavy weight. A man swung his arm over her placing a hand over her breast. A look of disgust crossed her face as she stared up at her own ragged reflection on the mirror hanging on the ceiling.  
  
What the hell is this guy's name again? I can't even remember, but do I even care. I'm starting to wish now that I had chosen to go back to his place instead of mine. It's not like I can slip out and never hear from him again. That's the problem with these one night stands. You have to deal with the awkwardness of the morning after. It's always a matter of how long is too long to stick around or do you exchange phone numbers making empty promised to call the other? Well, I'm usually on the side of being asked to be seen again while my interest has already waned on the subject. When will these guys get it? I'm just looking for a good fuck.  
  
"You were amazing last night," a muffled voice hoarsely whispered under the sheets. The man rolled over to face her while he reached over to grab her around the waist.  
  
Sakurako shrugged off his advances and reached over for the nightstand grabbing a cigarette from her case and lighting up. A ring of smoke emerged from her pouty lips floating through the air disappearing into a light fog. "I know."  
  
"Then how about an encore performance?" He leaned over and snatched the cigarette from my lips and took a slow, long drag.  
  
I hate when they do that. It's a sign that he's becoming too comfortable.  
  
"I don't think so." She stood up letting the warms sunshine hit my naked and wrapped her robe resting on the bedpost around herself. She tied the knot around her waist causing the robe to rise up over her smooth thighs.  
  
He scrambled up from the bed pulling the sheets around his waist in a desperate plea to drag the escaping woman hoping to pull her back into the bed. He placed a cold hand on her shoulder sending shivers down her back. Leaning he forward he whispered into her ear while laying small butterfly kisses down her neck. "How about you meet me for dinner later? Maybe for dessert we could head back to my place and go for a second round?" He spun her around and wrapped his arms around her gazing into her icy, cold eyes that paralyzed him. He bent his head down to draw her lips to his, but in true fashion she rejected his advances giving truth to her reputation as the unattainable.  
  
"Never on the lips," she whispered turning her face to the side letting his sloppy kiss fall onto her cheek. Sakurako looked up to see that all too familiar expression in front of her. It was a mix between desire and frustration.  
  
I'll do anything with any man. My body has been used and abused so many times it feels like I'm just going through the motions at times. Don't get me wrong. I do take pleasure in it when I meet the right guy who knows just the right places to hit. I enjoy every thrust, grind, taste, and bite of it. The rest of the time it's just feels like getting the satisfaction of scratching a good itch. My body is nothing more than a shell. They can have every last inch of me, but they'll never know me. As cliché as it might sound, they'll never be able to touch a piece of my heart. Sometimes I question if such a thing still exists within me. I mean I can hear it beating sustaining my life, it's in there somewhere. I opened it once allowing myself to become a victim to emotions, but what did that make me in the end? I'm just another dumb bitch.  
  
She narrowed her eyes and glowered at him. "Play time's over. Get the hell out of here." The coldness in her voice sliced through the silence.  
  
He questioningly gazed at her wondering if this was just some sort of dominatrix game or joke she was playing. Choosing to believe she was only teasing him, he pushed her back onto the bed like a rag doll being tossed onto the bed by a spoiled child. Her face remained fixed and emotionless. All he needed was some slight movement on her part that would tell him what was going on in her mind.  
  
Sakurako lay back and stared at her face in the mirror once more becoming lost in her own musings. It was always hard for them to let go. She could see him back track for a moment pondering what to do.  
  
Hesitation is a sign of weakness. If you want something bad enough you'd go full force and screw the consequences. That's life. Sometimes you've just got to forget about everyone else and do what you want to do. It must seem a bit strange that I'm willing to do anything but kiss a man on the lips. It's just too personal for me. I learned a long time ago on the streets that one kiss on the lips can lead to a lifetime of trouble. It's a sign of shared intimacy that girls like me were never supposed to give. It was the code of the street for girls like us, never kiss on the lips.  
  
"So what are you going to do now?" she snapped letting the sarcasm drip off her lips. "I don't have time for this." She began to pull herself down, but was thrust back onto her back by the sudden jolt of warmth from below. Her inside tightened as his tongue delved deeper into her making her back arch. A slow husky moan slipped from her mouth. Her breathing quickened as his ministrations began to explore her more thoroughly hitting just the right erotic zones sending all rational thoughts out of her mind. She could feel herself becoming light headed as her body stiffened preparing itself for climax.  
  
He pulled out for a moment licking his lips watching her let out a small sigh of disappointment. He devilishly grinned at her as his head bobbed up from between her legs. "Still want me to leave?"  
  
Sakurako once again stared up at her reflection of a sweaty, aroused woman. Her face said it all.  
  
"Maybe just one more game," she replied as she sat up and pushed his head back down.  
  
--------------------------------------------------  
  
At another point of town in a not quite shabby and not quite elegant part of town, Yuuki was already up and sitting at the kitchen table watching the weather man banter on and on about barometric pressure and humidity levels. The relatively cheery apartment was covered in hues of pinks and rose emitting a strong aura of femininity of its owner. The open door exposing a view of her bedroom showed a set of perfectly lined up teddy bears and dolls resting against the pillows of her neatly made bed. The apartment was cramped, but cozy at the same time.  
  
The light ring of the bell from the oven sent her jumping out of the chair revealing a pink lacy apron tied around her. She grabbed the oven mitts one in the shape of a dog head and the other a cat and slipped them over her hands making her appear to have two large oversized cartoon hands. An observer would note that the way she pranced through the kitchen made her almost resemble a little nymph. The aroma of freshly baked muffins wafted in the air turning the heads of strangers on the street who just so happened to pass by her window catching a glimpse of the freshly made baked goods and it's beautiful baker. She placed the tray of muffins onto the table and walked over to the window shielding her face behind the thin curtain.  
  
What day is today? Oh, it's Tuesday. Hmm. This one has lasted a pretty good amount of time. She must have been good to keep around for the full seven days. Here it comes. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Right on time.  
  
She peeked out to take a better look at scrutinizing every inch of trying to figure out what it was that made her so damn special.  
  
Granted her tits are huge. Mine almost seem paltry next to hers. She has a pretty nice little ass, too. Face is average, though. There's nothing remarkably exquisite about it. I've seen better. He must be going through a red head phase. The last three have all been red heads. What's wrong with light auburn hair? She looks pissed. She probably never saw it coming after all the screaming they did the night before awakening the entire neighborhood. Thank god for sound proof walls and glass.  
  
The woman tripped over her the front steps kicking off her heels and bending over to pick up the items off the ground. She fumbled with her purse as she rifled through her bag in search of her car keys. A slew of expletives echoed in the still morning air. Soon the sound of an engine roared and the screeching of tires squealed sending the car veering forward leaving a trail of dust behind. A few minutes later, he emerged with a towel wrapped around his waist and his hair still dripping wet from the shower he had just emerged from. His strong chiseled chest glistened with beads of water dripping down his skin. He bent over and picked up the morning paper glancing at the front page headlines before turning around and slamming the door shut behind him.  
  
Yuuki pulled herself away from the window and mentally berated herself for wasting her time on being such an idiot. It had become somewhat of a hobby of hers to wake up early in the morning to see the early morning show. In some ways, it was comforting to know that none of them had done the impossible- have him want them to stay. At the same time, it was masochistic of her to watch in agony as they left knowing they while they had not captured his heart, they had at least tasted the force of his desires and passions. She had not even come close to that yet. She wasn't even quite sure if she held a remote place in his heart. Perhaps as a friend or maybe worse, a little sister.  
  
One day Jiro. One day. Why did I have to fall helplessly in love with a guy like him? I mean it's not like I haven't taken up any of the other offers from readily available men, but they can never compare to him. Is it stupid to want something that is so close yet so far at the same time? It might sound pathetic, but he's the only guy who has ever treated me nicely. I may look young and naïve, but I've had my share of bastards. Men. They're all fucked up ten times more than I am. They're the reason I am the way I am. If it's not one thing it's everything they want from you. They are the bane of my existence, yet I can't seem to turn them down. I'm really a glutton for punishment. Sometimes I think I go looking for trouble. Love. Understanding. Comfort. Those are the things I desire most in this world. I guess it's just the curse of being a daddy's girl that gets me in trouble. Daddy didn't give me the love I needed, so I go out looking for a man to love me. He fucked me over. No matter how men I go through, how many nights spent covering up my bruises, or the task of getting over the overwhelming shroud of loneliness when you are left behind I let bygones be bygones. I must have done something wrong to make them leave. When I become too clingy and they tell me I'm suffocating them. It hurts to feel that stab of rejection. And why do I put myself through all this? Because I'm a daddy's girl. I'll always stand by the door with open arms ready to let him take care of me.  
  
She jolted upright at the sound of a knock at the door. "Come in."  
  
"I smelled the muffins from across the street," he mischievously grinned. He sauntered into the kitchen and grabbed a mug that had long ago been deemed as his pouring hot steaming coffee into it. He settled himself down at the table and grabbed a muffin front eh tray peeling off the paper bottom. He took one large bite out of it before flipping the newspaper he had under his arm open. "Delicious as always," he sweetly complimented.  
  
"Thanks," she replied smiling down at him while pouring the milk and sugar into his coffee measuring the exact amount he liked.  
  
That's the thing about me. I want to be taken care of yet I'll always be the one to take care of him. He makes me want to take care of him like a child. No matter how many mistakes he has made I can't bring myself to stay angry at him. For now, I'll just have to settle for this. It's all daddy's fault.  
  
------------------------------------------------  
  
Soujiro glanced over the newspaper to see the gentle smile of the girl in front of him. Her chin rested on her two hands propping up her face. It might have freaked him out to find some girl staring at him with that glazed over look in his eyes, but he had grown used to that look on her face. He knew what she was thinking, but it was one thing he could never give her. He pulled the newspaper back up covering his face from hers as thoughts of what happened earlier replayed itself through his mind.  
  
Soujiro woke up to find a something warm on his chest. He slowly opened his eyes and looked down to see a mass of hair covering the face of his lover form the night before. His body ached a little still from the strenuous work out his body had been pushed through the night before. Very carefully he picked up the arm and slid out from under the sheets. He ambled through the dimly lit room towards the bathroom closing the door behind him to find some privacy. He stared at the weary face in front of him seeing only the face of a dead man. Shaking these dreary thoughts out of his mind he turned on the shower at full blast and walked in be drowned by the blasts of boiling hot water hitting his skin. It was what he needed to wash away the feel of her all over his body.  
  
Have we already reached that time again? It's always bittersweet when it's over. From one point, it's sad to think she's not the one you've been looking for to break your cold, playboy veneer. On the other hand, there's that anticipation and excitement knowing that it's time to choose the your next victim. I really am nothing more than an unfeeling bastard. It's not my fault entirely, though. My father wasn't exactly the model male role model. He was the exact same way when it came to women. Yes, he was married to my mother, but a man has got urges that requires outside help. Sexual frustration is a curse. That's where I learned the value of women. Their worth is valued by their body. There are few women I respect. I worshipped my mother every day of her life, but in the end she was nothing more than another one of my father's whores. I hate my father for treating her like the rest. He could have at least respected her a little bit, but no. I hate men like him who take out everything on a woman. A man who dares to hurt a woman is nothing more than a coward. It's ironic how I'm becoming more and more like him in unexpected ways. I guess you could say, "like father, like son."  
  
He braced himself against the wet tiles of the shower silently counting to a hundred before stepping out of the shower. He picked up a fresh towel from the rack and wrapped it around his waist letting drops of water from his body fall onto the floor. As he opened the door, he took a deep breath preparing himself for the worst. These things rarely ended pretty.  
  
Across the room, his bedmate had already awakened and was busy looking for her other shoe under the bed. At the sound of footsteps approaching, she popped her head out from under the bed and looked up with a silly school girl smile on her face. "Good morning," she cheerily called out as she suddenly found her shoe on the ground next to a few open condom wrappers carelessly tossed on the ground after a fulfilling night of pleasure.  
  
"Good morning," he replied in a calm voice.  
  
She buttoned the last button on her blouse and slinked forwards putting a hand to his chest. Her large bosom pushed against him making him become slightly aroused by the sight of so much cleavage early in the morning. "I think last night was my first real orgasm," she giggled into his ear. She pulled his face to hers and aggressively stole a kiss from his lips.  
  
He pulled back earning a small groan from his companion. "You were incredible, yourself," he chuckled. "You should get going. It's getting late. You need to get home and change before you get to work."  
  
She followed him out into the living room and picked up her purse from the ground completely unsuspecting of what was to come. "You're so sweet worrying about me getting to work on time. Will it be my place or yours tonight?" she asked as she put on her black stiletto heels with her back to him.  
  
"Neither,' he coolly replied.  
  
"Oh, you're busy tonight?"  
  
"No. It's over."  
  
Her back stiffened at the realization of what he was implying. She spun around letting her fiery red hair whip her face. "What do you mean it's over?"  
  
"I mean, I won't be seeing you anymore. This isn't going to work out."  
  
Her voice was slowly rising with each word she spit out. "You're dumping me?! Why? You can't do this."  
  
"I already did."  
  
"So what was it we had anyway? I don't go around fucking any guy I see. I don't do that kind of thing. Don't treat me like a common whore off the street. I won't let you do this to me."  
  
"Well, you did ask me to fuck you like whore last night. Only whores scream the way you do."  
  
That'll surely get rid of her. I'm doing this for her own good. She'll be pissed for a short while, but I bet by tonight she'll have found some other guy to rebound on. Why's she being so possessive anyways? We've only known each other for a week.  
  
"Bastard!" she shrilly screamed as she shot up landed on his flawless face. Her face was becoming redder and redder as her anger rose within her. A hint of desperation coated her voice that fell to a deathly whisper as remorse swept over her for at the realization of what she had just done. "Tell me you love me. Tell me that it's all a joke you're playing on me. Don't you understand? I. I've fallen in love with you."  
  
I hate it when they resort to that. Love? Bullshit. They got what they wanted and so did I. Let's just leave it at that.  
  
"You're not in love with me and neither am I with you. Get out before I don't refrain myself from throwing you out."  
  
"Weren't you having fun?" she cooed while playfully trailing a finger down his chest to the towel around his waist. She tugged on the towel and pleadingly looked into his eyes grasping for any hope of salvaging their relationship.  
  
"Get the hell out of here!"  
  
A scowl spread over her face a she grabbed her bag and thrust the door open. She spun around and pit at him. "You'll regret doing this."  
  
"No I won't."  
  
The door slammed sending the walls shaking around him. He stood there listening to the slur of expletives coming from the women followed by the screeching of tires. He released as sigh and reached for the doorknob. A stream of sunlight fell down on his face greeting him to a new day. He sniffed the air recognizing the faint smell of freshly baked muffins coming from his neighbor. Soujiro bent over and picked up the newspaper scanning the headlines for any interesting news. The world is still as shitty as it ever was, he thought to himself as he slammed the door closed.  
  
A few minutes later, he felt himself drawn to her doorway against his better judgment. He stood in the doorway grinning at the sweet girl watching her muffins cool with a far away look written all over her face.  
  
She's the closest thing to a woman I respect. Although I would never lay a finger on her, I will hurt her more than she ever imagined. She thinks she can change me, but it won't work. I'm a bastard and that's the way it should be. I'm way too screwed up for my own good.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Rui stood in his barren bedroom enveloped by the sweet lulling melody pouring out of his violin. His face was blank and expressionless as always. God, knows what was going through his mind. His studio apartment matched his personality rather well. Simplicity was the key to it all. Everything was a pure white or a shade close to white. In a way, it resembled the cold impersonal sterility of a hospital room. It was really more like one big room with only a music stand in one corner for his violin and a small baby grand piano in the other. Everything was in plain view, nothing hidden behind any extraneous walls. A large king size bed was the only large comfortable piece of furniture to be found. No couches. No TV. No radio. Other than the bed the only place to sit would be the small kitchen table with two steel chairs pulled into it.  
  
He closed his eyes letting himself be carried away by the music- his only salvation in the world. Generally he would have been sleeping at such an early hour of the morning, but he couldn't rest easily until he knew she was back by his side. As sad as it all was he had an unwavering love for her that would never be fully reciprocated and he knew it. She would always choose her career over him. He was fine with that. The jingling sound of keys being turned in the door aroused him from his melancholy.  
  
"You're back?" he asked in his normal monotone voice.  
  
Shizuka, in all her glory, strode across the empty room and seductively wrapped her arms around him from behind. She rested her chin on his shoulder just letting the soothing sensation of a warm body against hers wash over her.  
  
"Did you miss me?" she teasingly asked. Her warm breath tickled the tiny hairs on his neck.  
  
He dropped his violin to his side and stared straight ahead inhaling the sweet scent of her French perfume. Chanel. It always had to be the best for her. His body stiffened in realization that he was supposed to be annoyed by her at the moment. "Where did you go?" he asked shrugging her arms away while he bent over to pack away his precious violin.  
  
"I got caught up with business. He said he could maybe get me a movie deal. I went with him to meet the director for a screen test."  
  
"And it took you all night to finish."  
  
Her body tensed at the thought of what he was insinuating. "He's a very busy man. I was lucky he was willing to give me an audition on such short notice. He had a late flight to catch, so we went to his hotel to meet him before he left. It went so well, we went out to celebrate with some drinks afterwards. Why do I even need to explain myself? You always make me sound like I'm the bad guy in this relationship!"  
  
Rui was never one to raise his voice, but the tone in his cold voice was enough to make anyone realize he wasn't in a good mood. It was the entire package of the indifferent face and icy voice that scared the shit out of people. "You were gone for two days. What was I supposed to think?"  
  
"Fine don't believe me. You know I never question your relationship with her. She still loves you, and you know it. I see the way she looks at you, and how she forces you stay by her side. It's a dirty trick how she finds ways to get you close to her. The second she calls you, you go running to her like there's no tomorrow. She has you wrapped around her little finger."  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
"Oh, I've hit a sore spot there haven't I?" she vehemently hissed. She slipped out of her evening gown and walked around the apartment in the nude looking for her robe, which she found and tied around herself. "I've never made you choose, but it's always been you pushing me to choose my career or you. How about I make you choose?"  
  
"It's not the same thing. There are too many people involved."  
  
"She didn't want you in her life anymore. She would have let you off the hook completely. You still love her don't you?"  
  
It's always the same vicious cycle we go through. I knew when we chose to be together that life wouldn't become any easier. But then again, in matters of the heart nothing is ever easy. So many lives were destroyed and irrevocable breaks in trust done. Was I coward to wait so late to do what I had longed to do so long ago? I wanted to be selfish and take what was rightly mine. Everyone always tells me how wrong it is that we would want to be together. She is four years my elder. I'm just heading towards the middle of my prime years. I should be out partying like Jiro and Akira, but I don't. That's never been my thing. I've only wanted one woman in my entire life and now I have her. Shouldn't I be happy? I know the truth. She'll leave me again one day for another.  
  
He grabbed her arm stopping her from escaping into the bathroom. "You know it's always been you and never anyone else. I've given up everything for us."  
  
"If that's true then you would give her up."  
  
I hate the power she has over him. I do really love Rui more than I think I've ever loved anyone. There was always just something about him that drew me to him when no one else wanted to touch him. I've known Rui most of his life and up until a certain point all I ever saw was a brother. It was just too weird the moment I saw him for the first time as a man. In my mind, all I ever saw was the isolated little boy reaching out for a friend. Then everything went to hell when the unthinkable happened. I knew he had some unrequited crush on me, but how was I to know I had a growing fondness for him outside of our brother/sister boundaries? By the time we both realized what we had, we had gotten too far in. I hate pulling out this card to play, but it's not fair how he'll never be fully mine the way I want him to be. If he could only devote himself fully to me, then we wouldn't be having these arguments. I would never admit it to his face, but it's what makes me want to choose my career over him. At the same time, my worst fear is to lose him all together.  
  
"Stop giving me that childish bullshit. I know you don't mean that."  
  
"What if I do?"  
  
"Then I don't know," he nodded his head letting go of her arm that now had red finger marks on her delicate skin. "I'm tired of always having to prove my feelings for you over and over again."  
  
She brushed his cheek with the back of her hand raising his head to hers. "I know you love me, but sometimes I just get so scared that you will one day leave me. You've always been my Rui."  
  
Their lips hungrily found each other; thus, ending their little lovers' quarrel. It was always the way their spats ended. Nothing was ever really resolved, and tense subjects were left to mull about in the back of their minds.  
  
The kiss continued to the bed, but they were interrupted along the way by the sound of the phone ringing. Shizuka pushed him away panting heavily.  
  
"You should get that. Have you forgotten what day it is?"  
  
He nodded his head in agreement, but there was an unmistakable disappointment in his eyes. He let out a heavy sigh and rolled off her to answer the phone.  
  
"Hello," he answered. A playful smile appeared on his lips as he recognized the voice on the other line. He hung up the phone after coaxing the caller on the other line to hang up. He turned back to Shizuka, who was now busy filing her nails.  
  
"I've got to go."  
  
"I know," she sadly replied with a hint of disappointment in her voice that they wouldn't continue where they had left off. "I'll see you later then," she sighed.  
  
He gave her one last forceful kiss on the lips and grabbed his jacket from the bedpost. "We'll continue where we left off later," he devilishly grinned.  
  
"I'll be waiting."  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
Tsukasa finally awoke a few hours later. It was still a little too early for him, but the smell of fresh pancakes being flipped on the griddle made his empty stomach grumble in protest of not being fed for so long. He rolled out of the warm, comfortable bed and trudged to the door to hear the faint sound of voices outside.  
  
Time to start another day.  
  
Tsukushi put her hand up to her mouth as another attack of yawns took over. It had been a long night, but she had finally finished it. Only a half hour ago she had punched the last key and clicked the mouse to save all her work. All she was given was a few sparse minutes to take a quick shower before finding Kaya jumping on the bed waiting for breakfast. So, here she was now, deprived of sleep aching all over, and ready to begin another day.  
  
"Careful, " she warned as she guided the little girls hands with the spatula flipping the pancakes sizzling on the griddle.  
  
"We need more chocolate chips!" she exuberantly screamed as she grabbed another fistful and threw them onto the messy goop of batter Emeril style.  
  
Her mother blanched at the sight of the chocolate chip pancake with more chip than pancake. She would be peeling the girl off the ceiling in a few hours. She glanced over at the closed bedroom door wondering when their new tenant would be making an appearance. After that look he had on his face from her vague warning last night he probably wouldn't be making an appearance very soon.  
  
A knock at the door sent her focus back onto the pancake that was now starting to burn. "Honey, go get the door for Mama."  
  
"Okay!" Kaya hopped off the stool she had been using to stand over the stove and raced for the front door. She thrust the door open and took in the sight in front of her. Not even feeling the least bit disturbed by the sight in front of her, she turned around to call out for her mother. "Mama! Akira's here and he's naked again!"  
  
"Damn it!" Tsukushi wore under her breath. She turned the stove off and removed the last of the fresh pancakes of the griddle. Untying the apron around her waist she walked over to the door and pushed her innocent child out of the way. No matter how many times this happened it was always hilarious. She placed a hand over her daughter's innocent eyes shielding her view of the naked man who probably raised a few eyebrows on the elevator.  
  
"Are you going to let me in or not?!" Akira whined holding up a duffel bag to cover his package.  
  
"How the hell did you get up into my building like that?" Tsukushi leaned against the doorframe blocking his entrance. A dangerous smile lingered on her lips. She was going to have some fun before she let him in.  
  
"Me and your doorman are old buddies now," he smirked. "Come on. It's getting drafty out here."  
  
"Do you know how many complaints I've gotten from the tenants association about these early morning visits?"  
  
"Hey! Do you know how many offers I get from the members on your tenants association?"  
  
"When will you learn, Akira? Was it the car or clothes this time?"  
  
"Both."  
  
"You really should leave a few extra pairs of clothes in your car, you know."  
  
"Details. Details. Don't tell me you don't like to be greeted by a specimen of human perfection in all its glory in the morning?"  
  
"I've seen it before and it's not that amazing."  
  
"Stop being such a bitch and let me in already."  
  
"Good morning, Mrs. Fujisawa,' Tsukushi waved to the elderly woman passing through the hallway. "Beautiful day for a full moon, I must say."  
  
The old woman snorted in disgust trying to edge as close to the wall as possible to avoid touching the naked stranger. As she passed by she couldn't fight the urge to just take a touch at the goods. "Young kids," he grumbled to herself.  
  
"Whoa!" Akira yelped as he felt a hand grab his ass. He spun around to see what looked like an ancient old hag walking away with a satisfied look on her face.  
  
"Here, put this on. I don't want you flashing my kid anymore." She tossed the apron in her hand at his face.  
  
"Oooh, I almost forgot today was pancake day," He dropped the duffel bag and proceeded into the kitchen wearing a yellow apron with hearts all over it. As he walked away Tsukushi was given the privilege like the rest of the free world of his bare ass.  
  
Tsukushi nodded her head in amusement. Akira always makes life a little more interesting.  
  
Tsukasa emerged from behind his bedroom door peeking out to see if Tsukushi was there. From the distance, he thought he heard Akira putting him at ease that if she tried something there would be witnesses. He put on a happy face and bounded out of the room and into the kitchen in anticipation of stuffing his face full of pancake goodness. He turned the corner and the sunny disposition he had put on fell like a ton of bricks.  
  
"Yo!" Akira waved waving a fork in the air before spearing another bite of pancake dripping with syrup into his mouth.  
  
Horror could be the only word to describe what Tsukasa was feeling at the moment. All inklings of hunger had long drifted away as he saw the little girl sitting across from the half naked man wearing only an apron. Keep in mind the apron was skimpy and from the view he was given underneath the table he had forgotten to keep his legs crossed therefore revealing more than Tsukasa had wanted to see.  
  
"Want some pancakes?  
  
"Sit with me, Mr. Pineapple!" Kaya grabbed him by the arm pulling him into a seat wedged between Akira and her.  
  
Tsukasa was definitely gonna puke right there.  
  
Tsukushi brought out a two plates with a fresh stack on each and place one in front of him. "Tuesdays are pancake day around here," she said with a voice dripping with saccharine sweetness.  
  
I seriously have entered the twilight zone. I knew it. For the first time, I think I might be wishing I could go home.  
  
He turned to Akira who was childishly shoveling food into his mouth only taking a break to wash it down with milk. "Now why." Instantly he clamped his mouth shut thinking he might regret finding out the answer to his question.  
  
"You should expect this to happen a lot around here. Akira just drops by unexpectedly all the time like this," Tsukushi answered. She continued to glance at the paper in front of her while taking small sips of coffee from her mug.  
  
"Do you want that?" Akira asked pointing at the untouched plate in front of Tsukasa.  
  
The ring of the doorbell woke Tsukasa from his daze. "Uuhh.You can have it.' He pushed the plate towards Akira who had already helped himself to the first few bites.  
  
"Do you mind getting the door?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
Feeling relieved to get away from the proximity of the atrocity known as naked Akira, Tsukasa trudged through the hallway towards the door grateful for the interruption. He peeped through the hole and pulled open the door to greet a rather unexpected mystery person. The figure stepped back in surprise expecting Kaya, Tsukushi, or even Akira to open the door. They just stood there face to face startled.  
  
"You're here!" Kaya screamed running past Tsukasa and jumping into the person's arms.  
  
Tsukushi's footsteps followed soon after. She nudged Tsukasa over to greet their guest. A distinct mask of civility was plastered on her face. "I completely forgot that it was today."  
  
Akira popped his head out into the hallway. "Hey Rui!"  
  
"Yo," Rui responded glancing in Akira's direction.  
  
Tsukushi peeled the little girl off of Rui and placed her on the ground. "Where are my manners? Let me formally introduce you two since you didn't get the chance to at our meeting yesterday. Rui, you remember our new hire, Tsukasa. He's renting out our spare room for the time being."  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Yo."  
  
Tsukushi turned back towards Tsukasa with a rather blasé attitude.  
  
"Rui is Kaya's father." 


	5. Salvation

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, so you've got nothing to take away.

Chapter 5: Salvation

"Papa! Come with me. I want to show you the drawing I did in school." Kaya clung to Rui for dear life while dragging him away form the other adults.

Rui stopped in front of the kitchen for a moment to stare at Akira. "Nice apron."

"Thanks," Akira grumbled as he feasted on whatever remains of breakfast that was foolishly left behind.

Tsukushi slowly closed the front door and leaned her back against it bracing herself to remain calm. She shut her eyes and took a few deep breaths before finding the courage to open them again. Her ears rang with the sounds of Kaya's laughter drifting from the bedroom.

Tsukasa knew he should have walked away, but for some odd reason his feet seemed to have rooted themselves to the ground. He watched as her eyes fluttered open. She nervously bit her bottom lip.

"He's her father?"

"Looks like you're little story about me isn't coming true. I'm so sorry to disappoint you. For future reference Rui picks up Kaya every Tuesday to spend the entire day with her, so don't be surprised if he's here." She brushed past him knocking into his shoulders sending him flailing backwards.

Their brief confrontation ended like that. Tsukasa's mind swam with questions as to how Rui could be the little girl's father. Then who was that man in all the pictures? Not once had he seen any indication of Rui having the remotest connection to them. It was all starting to slowly dawn on him. It was in front of him the entire time, and he just didn't see it. It was her eyes. They had that exact same iciness that could cut through steel. That unnerving feeling he got when Kaya stared at him was an inheritance from her father. It was all in the eyes.

She was right. I did make an ass out of myself by assuming things, but then who the hell is that guy? Why does she have Shinimori's watch? Could it be that she tried to pass that kid as his and left her for her deceit? From the way she talked about pride, I don't think that's a possible scenario. There's much more to this.

His brain was beginning to overload with thoughts making him suddenly lightheaded. He stumbled back into the living room plopping onto the couch to lie down. All he needed now was some peace and quiet to clear his head.

Tsukushi walked out of her bedroom clutching a large packet under her arm. "Kaya, Mama's leaving now.

Kaya burst out of her room almost stumbling over her own legs. Moments before she fell completely face first onto the ground, her mother grabbed her by the arms saving her from a messy fall. She picked her up and placed her firmly back onto the ground before getting on her knees to give her a hug.

"I love you!"

" I love you, too. Remember to be a good girl for Papa. I don't want to hear a single word about you giving him a hard time, okay. I'll be back in time to tuck you in before bed." She turned her attention towards Rui who stood aback. She pulled herself off the ground with a little bit of trouble since Kaya still clung to her neck like a monkey. "Remember to have her back here by 9, okay? Having her request answered with a nod of his head, she gave one last bear hug to the little monkey girl before Rui took the girl from her mother's arms. Tsuksuhi gave one last wave and headed out the door. "Remember you have your first lesson at three today, Tsukasa! And Akira, don't forget to mail out the checks today. We don't want to have another blackout incident," she yelled over her shoulder.

Kaya quickly got over her disappointment at losing parent and opted for the other. "Where are we going to go today?" she eagerly inquired tugging at Rui's arm.

Rui's usually cold deadpan face was instantly changed the moment he laid on his little girl. He was more relaxed and even lighthearted. It was as if the burden on his shoulders was suddenly lifted and there was some reason to live in this world. It wasn't the same passion he showed when Shizuka was around. That side of him was yearning to be loved never really certain if his feelings were ever apparent enough. Kaya incited something deep inside of him he never thought he would feel for another person. He truly cared for her unconditionally, and there was absolutely no doubt that she didn't see him as nothing less than the center of her world.

He swung her up into the air earning squeals of laughter from the little girl. "Well, I've got to get you to school now, but later how about we go to the park this week?"

"Can we go on the merry-go-round?"

"Anything you want." He picked up her book bag form the ground in the hall and took her hand. "Come on, let's get you to school."

"Okay, Papa!" she replied looking at him with only adoration in her eyes.

The door slammed quietly behind them. Then there were two.

Akira slunk out of one of the bedrooms now fully dressed. He patted his stomach in satisfaction. This was soon followed by a low groan as the after effects of his gluttony kicked in. "That kid looks up at him as if her were a fucking god," he sighed. "I still amazes me that they can remain civil after all they've gone through. We were so young and stupid back then thinking nothing could ever touch us. Tsukushi grew up a lot faster than most of us having to learn to raise a kid on her own while owning a club. I can still remember the look on his face when he found out she was pregnant. He wanted to kill Rui."

"Who wanted to kill Rui?" Tsukasa nonchalantly asked masking his intense interest in the tidbit of information given out to him.

Akira's usual carefree disposition erased from his face, but he quickly put on his happy go lucky face in an attempt to cover up his faux pas. "I've said too much already." He scratched the back of his head, a nervous habit, and changed topics. "Don't listen to me. I sometimes let my mouth go off without thinking. You won't tell Tsukushi, will you?"

There was really nothing to tell her. "Fine."

"Well I should get going. Aaahh, the curse of being upper management is a heavy burden I carry. I gotta get down to the club and take care of a couple of things. I'll see you later." He hurriedly picked ran out the door. However, he briefly paused at the doorway. "Tsukushi's an enigma, isn't she? Take my advice. Her life is like pandora's box. Don't go looking into things that aren't you business."

Whew. That was close. I should really learn to keep my moth shut. Tuskushi would have killed me if I leaked out some vital information about her life. Then again, it's not like any of us who have known her for so long know the truth of what happened between them. All we have is bits and pieces of the story.

He waved a goodbye to the doorman before stepping out of the large glass doors to be greeted by the calm morning breeze. He raised his hand over his eyes to block out the blinding light of the sun.

Something tell me the shit's gonna hit the fan soon.

-------------------------------------------

Tsukushi jolted awake once again while she sat on the bus streaking past the busy streets of Tokyo. Her head bobbed up and down before finally repositioning itself to look straight ahead. She shot out a small apologetic smile at the gentleman sitting beside her whose shoulder she had accidentally leaned against in her short slumber. The man just politely nodded and returned to reading his newspaper. She glanced down at her watch sigh in relief that he still had a good twenty minutes before she was due to be there. She peered over the people standing in front of her attempting to regain her orientation of the area she was now in. Something was definitely not right.

"Shit! Stop the bus!" She tugged on the cord signaling the bus to stop. The bus jolted to a stop, and she practically climbed over people to get out. She jumped out onto the curb and turned to her left and right before choosing the right. Not wasting any time, she bolted down the street racing against time while muttering a few obscenities that surprised fellow pedestrians.

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Akira strolled down the empty alleyway towards the back door of the club after dropping his car off at the shop. At this time of day, the neighborhood was pretty much dead. Oddly enough, the club was not to be found in an upscale part of town, but rather the seedier part of it all. For one of the city's most popular nightspots, you would expect the décor of club's outer surroundings to be more aesthetically pleasing, but that wasn't the image of Last Resort. You could say it was a diamond in the rough.

How many times have I walked down this alleyway? Hundreds? Thousands? No matter how many times I make the trip down here I can't seem to forget that first time I came here. I was young, stupid, and an arrogant bastard. I thought that if the world turned its back on me, I would fucking show them all who I was. I was too blinded to see myself falling.

With a load groan from the door, it was pushed open to reveal a darkened path ahead. He stepped inside and pulled the door closed enveloping himself in the darkness. Grasping the wall, he instinctively found the light control and turned on each light one at a time With a heavy sigh, he took a quick scan around the barren building before heading to the solitude of the back office. He threw himself into the soft, leather executive chair and pulled open the bottom drawer pulling out a bundle of envelopes. He splayed them out in front of him and pulled out the checks inside making sure the correct amounts were put in along with signature. It was pretty mindless administrative work he was forced to endure. Tsukushi always took care of everything; therefore, everything was always done with the utmost precision and care. There was never one mistake in anything she did. It was questionable as to why Tsukushi even chose him to be manager of the club knowing that she could fully handle the burden alone and that his appointment would make him merely a figurehead of management.

Why me? Any of the others would have been a better choice than me. Yuuki would have been an obvious choice. Tsukushi trusts her more than any of us. Jiro would have been even better. Out of everyone she chose me. I know the others don't really care about my promotion seeing as how I pretty much do the same things I was responsible for before, but now she's always pushing me to do more, to be more. I just don't understand.

He leaned back in his chair and stared up at the club's motto nailed up to the door. "Last Resort, home for fallen angels". It was a well-known fact amongst the workers that Last Resort really was what it was. It was the last place left in the world where no one looked down at them for the crimes against society they had committed. It was place where they weren't considered freaks, delinquents or just plain outcasts. Akira carefully studied the words on the wall and smiled to himself. He picked up the envelopes and tucked them under his arm before heading out the door to the post office.

He would have laughed knowing that she made me manager.

------------------------------------------------

Tsukasa stalked down the narrow alleyway towards the back door of the club. He still had a few minutes to kill before his first training lesson. With a full stomach and a clear head, he made his way into the club where the sounds of chairs scratching against the floor and bottles being clinked greeted him.

Junpei and his crew were busy rearranging chairs and tables when he arrived. The floor had been cleared for what looked like a good mopping and buffing. Sakurako sat on the stage stretching her hands to her toes warming up for what appeared to be practice. Thomas, Kin, and Tsuyoshi fiddled with their instruments making sound checks on the speaker system. Finally, Soujiro stood behind the bar wiping down glasses and carefully stacking them up behind the counter.

"Tsukusa, over here!"

He turned his head in the direction of Soujiro waving him over. Obediently he wandered towards the bar and hopped onto one of the stools. "So, what am I supposed to be doing today?" he inquired.

Soujiro ducked underneath the counter and proceeded to pull out an old dusty book and a few random bottles containing various colored liquids. He neatly lined them up in a row. "Welcome to Soujiro's school of mixology. Today you will have your very first introduction to my very good friends. Meet gin, vodka, rum, and whiskey."

Tsukasa grinned to himself thinking this was going to be a piece of cake. All those years of attending those required business functions had made him quite the connoisseur of liquor. His favorite was always gin and tonic.

How hard could it be to make them? I've tried almost every drink known to man.

He climbed over the counter to the back and began picking up bottles inspecting the labels. "This is going to be fun."

Soujiro picked up one bottle in each hand twirling them with a flick of his wrist. He skillfully flipped them over sending two streams flowing into some shakers. Without even looking, he grabbed some other bottles from the wall and started pouring splashes of this and that into different shakers before capping it and flipping one over his back catching it from behind. He grabbed a second shaker and began juggling the two in the air with great dexterity. Finally he caught the two mid air, gave one last hearty shake, and uncapped the tops with a flick of his thumb pouring the contents into four glasses. "Before this is over, I'll have you doing this like you've been doing it all your life."

Tsukasa looked up at him like he was Dionysus himself. He was truly a master of libations. He jokingly bowed low before his master awestruck at the opportunity to be taught by such a man. "Teach me, Yoda."

"That will I do," he grinned.

---------------------------------------------

Tsukushi wearily dragged her feet across the floor into the club. It had been one of those days where everything seemed to be against you. First, she had missed her stop on the bus that morning. Next, she barely made it to the room in time to hand in her work. Then, she had to deal with that annoying guy that always seemed to follow her around like a lost puppy. Being in a place that was a tad out of her element, she was forced to politely put on her mask and act like a proper member of society, not the tempestuous bitch everyone else knew her to be. It was just one of those days.

God, it took me longer than I expected to get rid of that guy. What the hell is his problem? All I did was point out a mistake on one of his papers and he seemed to see that as an invitation to latch himself onto me for dear life. I'm a little too nice for my own good, I think. I can tell he has a crush on me. He really is a nice guy sometimes when he's not getting on my nerves. He's a sweet person from a nice family. In another place and time I might have gone for him.

The sound of glass shattering onto the floor awakened her from her daze. "What the hell is that?!" She ran towards the bar to see Soujiro on his hands and knees picking up shards of broken glass.

The mere sight of half filled glasses scattered across the counter, half empty bottles, and a basket full of broken glass was enough to explain what had been going on. "How many?"

"10," Soujiro sighed as he dumped the broken glass into the trash bin.

"Not bad. It's better than Sakurako's record 30," she laughed.

"Why don't you dump out all this broken glass into the bin outside?"

"I'll go do that," Tsukasa eagerly agreed. At all means possible he wanted to stay as far away from that psychotic woman as possible.

Tsukushi turned her attention back to Soujiro. "So how's he really doing?"

"Better than I expected. He's got an amazing skill for tasting. His mixing is a little sloppy and his hand eye coordination is going to need a ton of work. All in all, he should do just fine within a couple of weeks. I say we just stick him with filling orders from the tap."

"Mhmm."

"Bad day, huh?" He poured her a soda from the tap and placed tit on the counter plopping a cherry into the glass.

She absentmindedly twirled the straw between her fingers. A heavy sigh fell from her lips. "More like bad life. Sometimes I just get so damn frustrated with it all. There's that guilt that always seems to loom over my head that by doing this I'm being selfish."

"You know you love every single moment being there. You were always meant for better things than the rest of us."

"But what about Akira? Looking at the way he's handling things, I don't think he'll ever be ready. Sometimes I think he just slacks off on purpose hoping I'll change my mind."

"Akira will always be Akira. HE might not act like he cares about it, but he does. You can't expect him to do things exactly the same way you do. He'll get it together in his own way."

"Sometimes I think should have left it to you."

"Me?" he incredulously gasped feigning shock. "I've never been cut out for upper management."

She stifled a giggle. "I could just imagine all the sexual harassment suits. It's enough to have most of our female patrons throwing themselves all over you distracting you from work."

Soujiro slapped her with the towel draped over his shoulder. "You're right," he smirked. He leaned over the counter a few inches from her face feeling satisfied from the blush slowly creeping up over her cheeks. "I've seen you stealing glances at me while I work."

In turn, she leaned closer to him letting her warm breath tickle against his lips. She slowly licked her lips. The dullness in her eyes was replaced with a glint of mischief tempting him to get lost in them. Her eyelashes fluttered against his cheek as she ever so softy whispered into his ear, "Ya know what? Not every girl is dying for you to fuck them." She grabbed the towel from him and threw it into his face sending him stumbling backwards.

Soujiro peeled the damp towel from his face and burst out in laughter soon followed by Tsukushi. "Touche."

Tuskasa unconsciously entered in the middle of their insane laughter, which immediately halted the second his presence was recognized. "Did I miss something?"

"Not at all. Jiro was just trying to show off another one of his skilled arts."

"Skilled arts?"

"The art of seduction. Pay attention and you'll have women throwing themselves at you," she chuckled. She downed the rest of the cold soda down her throat and threw her head back in relief.

"Hey! Who's getting dinner? I'm starving here!" Sakurako bellowed as she hopped off the platform of the stage.

With impeccable timing, Akira stumbled in carrying two bags of takeout from the Chinese restaurant around the corner. "Who's hungry?!"

"God! I fucking love you right now Akira!" Sakurako lunged at Akira like a wild animal snatching the bags away from his hands and pouring out all the contents onto a large table.

"You're lucky I remembered it was time for your six o'clock feeding."

The smell of egg rolls, pot stickers, lo mein, and other MSG laced goodies lured everyone away from their duties to settle down for a family dinner. Soujiro gave a reassuring pat on Tsukushi's shoulder before taking a seat next to Tsukasa and the others, who had already begun eating.

She spun around on her stool and hopped off to join in the revelry not being able to fight the protests of her empty stomach. "Hey, save me some!"

"I can only hold her back for so long," Akira laughed as he picked up a take out container and dangled it over Sakurako's head.

"Quit hogging the fried rice!" she protested while swatting at him trying to make him drop it.

"I don't understand why we all split the bill evenly. I really think that Sakurako should pay more since she eats most of everything," Junpei nodded.

"I agree. I almost get my hand eaten off whenever I try to reach for something," Thomas whispered back.

"Hey, whose side are you on!" Sakurako pouted folding her arms over her chest.

"You know I love you, dear. However, I know better than to get in between you and your food." Thomas draped an arm over her shoulder trying to pacify her anger. "How about I take you out for ice cream tomorrow?"

"Fine. I forgive you then,' she reluctantly replied before beginning to inhale more food.

"Are you guys coming?"

"Yeah," Junpei, Thomas, Kin, and Tsuyoshi replied getting up out of their seats.

"Where are you guys going?"

"Thomas found some new bad playing at Inferno. We thought we would go check out the competition."

"Don't forget about…"

Thomas waved a hand in the air. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ice cream tomorrow." He continued walking out the door muttering to himself, "The only time she ever pays any attention to me is when I mention food."

"Who told you to fall for that bottomless pit?" Junpei laughed patting his disheartened friend.

Tsukushi picked up a pair of chopsticks and a take out box to slump down into a chair away from the ravenous bunch. Lazily she picked up a single noodle up to her lips before slurping it up.

Akira leaned back in his chair feeling fully satisfied to have his stomach filled. "So how was class, Tsukushi?"

"The same as always. I almost didn't make it in time to hand in my paper. I've really gotta stop pulling those all nighters. Those thirty pages almost killed me."

"I don't understand why you waste your time on continuing school. High school was hell. I mean, we had to go there, but college? You're insane for wanting to take classes. I would prefer to spend my money buying a cute dress than on books." Sakurako heavily sighed as she gulped down the rest of her water.

"Unlike some of us, Tsukushi actually did well in school," Soujiro interjected. "If it weren't for her, you wouldn't even have your high school diploma. Who else would take the time to make your lazy ass get up in the morning for school, correct your homework, and help you study?"

"Well you weren't exactly Mr. Intellectual yourself," she huffily grunted. "You were two years ahead of Tsukushi and needed her help to graduate."

"To be young again. I kind of miss the days of high school. I remember all those afternoons spent with Mrs. Urisaka. Hana will always have a special place in my heart," Akira grinned.

"You didn't!" Tsukushi's eyes widened at the thought of her 40-something math teacher in the throes of passion with an eighteen year old Akira.

"Why do you think I always got A's in math?"

"Oh god, she was old enough to be your mother."

"Well, I was a naughty boy."

Tsukushi covered her ears in horror. "I don't want to hear anymore."

"Hmm… Mrs. Murakami, was also a favorite of mine."

"Not the librarian, too!"

"I can't pick up a book without feeling aroused."

Soujiro gladly obliged by placing hand over Akira's mouth muffling the last few words that came out of his mouth. "I always preferred the sight of young girls wearing short skirts. Whoever designed those uniforms was a genius."

Sakurako "You guys always had it lucky. I hated those cold winter mornings when the breeze would go under your skirt. I nearly froze my ass off every morning walking to school."

"Maybe you wouldn't have if you wore panties underneath." Tsukushi tossed her empty carton onto the table and began cleaning up the debris.

Akira pushed Soujiro's hand away and blurted out, "So what was high school like for you, Tsukasa?"

Instantly everyone turned their attention towards him expecting to get some insight on their newest recruit. All eyes were now on him. The first thought hat hit him was to direct the attention away from him.

"I didn't love or hate high school. School is school. I wasn't a genius, and I wasn't a complete moron. I did ok, I guess. So, you all went to high school together?"

"Yeah. It was Jiro, Sakurako, Yuuki, Tsukushi, Rui, and me in Queen's. It was the closest public school for all of us to go. The others were already out of school a long time ago when we all came together."

Sakurako stood up and waved to the man standing in the doorway. She grabbed her coat from behind her chair flipping it over her shoulder. "It was nice reminiscing and all, but I've got a date waiting. Later." She dashed out of the club looping her arm through her date's as he escorted them out.

Akira tossed the rest of the garbage into the trash bin. He propped his foot up on Sakurako's empty chair and leaned back lazily. "So what are we doing tonight?"

"We could go to Inferno to catch up with the others?" Soujiro suggested.

"Naw, there aren't enough hot girls there. Why don't we go to Exit?"

"Sounds good to me. You wanna come along Tsukasa? It'll be fun. There's good music, drinks, and did I forget to mention hot girls."

Not feeling the least bit tired, Tsukasa nodded his head in assent. "Sure."

"I don't know about you, but I'm going home to pass out. I need some sleep." Tsukushi forced herself out of the comfortable chair and pulled out a set of keys from her pocket. "Time to lock up the place. I don't know where you're all going, but you've got to get the hell out of here."

"Come on, Tsukushi. It's been so long since you came out to play with us." Akira tugged on Tsukushi's weary arm while she tried to swat him away like a pesky fly.

"Get off of me. You've got Jiro and Tsukasa to keep you company tonight."

"But it's not the same without you," he whined. "You know what they say, 'All work and no play'."

"If you don't let go of me right now, I swear to god I'll bitch slap you into next year," she growled.

"Mama!"

Tsukushi's sour disposition quickly faded at the sound of her daughter's voice. She spun around to gather up the little girl in her arms. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see you, and Papa said we could come to pick you up."

Rui followed from behind and put a hand on Kaya's head. "She refused to go home until we came her to pick you up. I figured you would need a lift anyway since your car is in the shop."

"Thanks," she muttered.

"Hey Rui! Why don't you come to Exit with us. It's been awhile since we all hung out together." Akira popped his head up from the small huddle he was in with Soujiro.

"I don't think so. Shizuka's waiting for me."

"You are so whipped, man. Come on. It's been awhile since we've had a boy's night."

"Maybe you should go along. I don't want to wake up to another naked Akira like this morning, Please, just go with them," Tsukushi pleaded. .

Rui was always weak when it came to Tsukushi. For once there weren't daggers in her voice. It was probably all due to the fact that she was dead tired, but that was besides the point.

"Fine."

"Then it's settled. Just drop Kaya and me off at home, and then you can catch up with the guys. "

Rui winced at the thought of passing up finishing what he had started with Shizuka that morning, but then again he knew better than to try to defy Tsukushi's wishes. Shizuka was right. He was whipped, but not only by her alone.

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Akira wove through the crowds holding onto his beer swaying his body to the beat of the music. The club was pretty crowded considering it was a weekday, but it was summer. Those hot sultry nights were always better spent in the comfort of company, which everyone sought out that night. The music was thumping. Drinks were being poured left and right. There were women as far as the eyes could see. What else could make this night more perfect?

He plopped himself into the booth they had managed to dominate. Wherever the three went they were always given the best treatment. Before it was just the three of them, but with the added addition of Tsukasa they were now invincible to women. Drinks were coming from admirers at the bar, which Akira gratefully accepted. It was to his delight that he would flirtatiously play with his admirers picking up the drink they sent and ever so softly slipping his tongue out to taste the sweet liquor splashing against his lips. He loved to see them get hot for him. Rui sulked to his right staring blankly at nothing. Every once in awhile some brave or very insipid woman would make her way towards him to be brutally rebuffed by his cold demeanor. Tsukasa leaned back in his seat absorbing all the people around him. While he seemed to be comfortable in such an atmosphere he surely didn't show it by the way he tended to scare any waiter or waitress who approached shitless. He acted as if he owned the club or something barking orders about how god-awful the drink he was served was. In a way, women were drawn to his command of power. Akira raised his glass and an eyebrow towards Soujiro who was now grinding between two very young, endowed women on the dance floor.

I see Jiro will be getting laid tonight. He must have broken it off with Double D's this morning. From the looks of what he's got going I can see a ménage trois in his near future.

"Hey, handsome. Wanna dance?" a raspy voice whispered into Tsukasa's ear.

He turned around expecting to see a sultry woman beside him, but jumped back in horror. Beside him stood a six foot Amazon with something that definitely shouldn't have been protruding from underneath her sequined blue dress. His eyes bulged out in disbelief. "Get the hell away from me, you freak!"

Akira stifled a laugh as a rather angry drag queen stormed off. "Why so angry? All he wanted was a little dance?"

"Shut the fuck up!"

"My, my, my," Akira feigned dismay. "That temper of yours will not get you laid tonight."

"I don't see you taking up any offers, either."

"Patience comes to those who wait, my boy. The young ones aren't my thing. They're too inexperienced and vulgar for my tastes. I prefer a woman with a little culture and sophistication."

"You mean old."

"Mature is a better word for it."

Tsukasa did have something about him that just screamed homosexual. Maybe it was the fact that he repelled any woman that made the slightest advance on him like they had the plague? He had to be. Who would pass a woman looking for a good fuck? That's what we do. We fuck them senseless and toss them aside. It's the playboy's code. Wait what have we got here?

From across the room, his gaze focused on one exceptionally beautiful woman leaning throwing quick glances in his direction. She folded and unfolded her legs revealed that she had definitely opted to go without panties tonight. Her lips formed into a small pout as she raised her cigarette to her mouth sucking on it before expelling a stream of smoke from the side of her mouth. The way her bosom spilled out of her overly tight top beckoned him forth drawing him like am moth to a flame. As he stalked towards her with smooth panther like movements, he watched her back arch in anticipation.

She's mine.

"How much?" a slightly drunken voice slurred from a nearby table.

"$150 an hour."

Akira stopped in mid stride. There was something familiar about that voice. He shuddered to think that it might be who he thought it was thinking twice before turning around. The goofy smile on his face quickly faded. All color drained from his face.

Not now. Not here. Of all the fucking places don't tell me she came here.

"Are you serious? I usually pay $100. What do you do? Shove a broom up your ass or something?"

"Listen, asshole. Either you pay me for the night or I'll go find another client. Dominic only sends the best girls on these special calls. I don't have the time to fuck around with you. So, are you gonna pay up or not?!" The girl leapt up from the man's lap and straightened out her short crumpled skirt. Her face contorted from a friendly inviting expression to one filled with rage and frustration. From her height and stature she couldn't have been more than 19.

"I'll pay then."

"The girl spun around to match the voice to the face propositioning her for her services. "Akira," she snorted with a slight tone of derision in her voice.

"It's been awhile, Reiko." Akira steeped up ignoring the seething customer aggravated by the prospect of losing his woman to another man. "$150 and hour, is it? Here's $1500. That's 10 hours. Go home." He tossed a thick wad of cash onto the table.

She pocketed the money into the front of her shirt and flipped her long auburn tresses over her shoulder laughing. "You always want to be the hero, don't you? The fucking almighty Akira comes to the rescue again. You think you're better than me or something? I remember a time when you used to turned tricks yourself."

Akira was starting to reach his breaking point. It was always her that did this to him. It would always be her. "That was a long time ago. I always worked solo. It was always my terms and my rules. Dominic is going to get you killed one of these days. He doesn't give a shit whether you live or die! I'm offering you a way out. Take it."

"Don't give me that load of crap. You can't do shit. What do you want from me? To save me? The same way you fucking saved Aya?" her voice rose a few decibels. Her anger was rising with each syllable uttered from her mouth as she pushed him away knocking his body against a table spilling the drinks on them.

He balanced himself and shoved his face into hers trying to veil his fury. "That wasn't my fault."

"Liar. You killed her."

-------------------------------------

From a distance, Tsukasa peered through the crowds to see Akira engaged in heavy conversation with a young girl. He stood up to take a better look. His jaw dropped open the moment he saw the cash hit the table. He turned to Rui and Soujiro wondering if his companions had noticed this too, but they were too absorbed in their own things. Rui had closed his eyes a long time ago appearing as if he had slipped into a coma. Soujiro was obviously preoccupied by the two beauties by his side.

"I thought Akira didn't go for young girls."

Soujiro momentarily tore his attention away from his prey glancing up in Akira's direction. He jumped out of his seat and shook Rui out of his stupor. "Fuck! We've got a problem, Rui."

Rui aroused from his peaceful meditation. The perturbed look on his face was enough to convey what he was thinking at that moment. "I don't want to fucking get laid by one of your whores. Leave me the hell alone."

"Reiko."

At the mention of that name Rui stood upright and scanned the room for Akira. "Shit! She's here? We gotta get in there before it turns ugly."

Not wasting another moment observing the situation, Rui and Soujiro pushed their way through the crowds with a befuddled Tsukasa trailing behind. They came to a halt upon seeing Akira being shoved back against a table

"Wait!" Soujiro commanded extending an arm out to stop them. "We shouldn't get involved unless we need to. He needs to take care of his own shit."

Rui silently nodded his head in agreement. His eyes shifted back and forth from Akira to the girl carefully observing their every movement.

-------------------------------------------

"Don't have anything to say now, huh?"

"It wasn't like that. I never meant for Aya to get hurt."

"I don't need to hear your sorry ass explanation for what happened because we both know you're a fucking murderer. Now get the hell away from me so I can get back to work." She spun around and sat down on the lap of her original customer wrapping her arms around his neck. Playfully her mouth nibbled at his ear whispering dirty little details of what she would do to him that night.

The man gratefully accepted her advances smirking in victory at winning the girl in the end. He slipped a hand underneath her shirt fondling her breasts in full public view mocking his rival. "Get lost. This bitch is already taken," he snidely commented towards Akira.

"I'm taking you home, Reiko." Akira made a grab for her arm yanking her out of her one night stand's grasp.

She jerked away from his touch. "Fuck you."

By this time the man who had quietly stood on by the side was at the point where enough was enough. "Enough! I think you need to be taught the consequences of taking another man's property. I paid for a good time and that's what I'm going to get." He placed his arm around Reiko pulling her away from Akira, but Akira wouldn't let them go without a fight.

"Get your fucking hands off of her!" Akira lunged at him pushing the man to the ground pummeling him with his fists. Blow after blow the man groaned in pain, but nothing would make Akira stop. His face twisted in pure rage taking satisfaction in each grunt and moan coming out of his opponent's mouth. His eyes turned wild searching for blood. His knuckles cracked under each blow making blood drip from his hands. With his body hovering over the bloody mass he was pummeling, he resembled more of an animal tearing away at a fresh kill than the happy go lucky man he was known for.

Soujiro and Rui had seen enough to know that if they didn't step in sooner Akira would end up killing the man. Rui grabbed Akira from behind trying to drag him away, but was pulled down to the ground taking a few hits himself. Soujiro tried to intervene in the chaos of flailing limbs, but was brought down. If it weren't for Tsukasa's brute strength no one would have been able to contain Akira. Matters only turned worse when the man's buddies decided to join in the scuffle resulting in a complete riot. Everything just seemed to blend into one incredible mess as punches were being thrown left and right. The echoes of screaming women, grunting men, and breaking glass resounded the hall.

Tsukasa firmly held his grip around Akira pulling him away from the man he had brutally beaten. "Akira? Akira! Snap out of it!"

"Let me go! I'm going to fucking kill him if he lays a finger on her!"

Soujiro jumped to Akira's side helping Tsukasa's burden of holding him back alone. He lowered his voice trying to calm Akira out of his lapse of sanity. "He's not worth it, man. Let's go."

The sound of police sirens could be heard from the doorway.

"Shit the cops are coming!" Rui yelled as he sent a punch into an attacker's gut forcing the poor man to keel over in pain.

Akira fought to free himself from his friends' hold. "Let me go!"

"Come on, Akira. We gotta get out of here!"

It was too late. Akira slipped free breaking into a full sprint into the crowd. He pushed through the crowds of clubbers trying to flee the scene fighting against the current of people streaming in his direction "Reiko!" He managed to grab onto her shoulder pulling him towards her.

"Why couldn't you just let me be?" her voice softly whispered. All the hate in her voice subsided into a pitiful plea. Amidst the screams and ruckus around them, her quiet plea met his ears. Their faces were illuminated by the flashing of the strobe light above sending rays of vibrant colors across their faces in the dark confusion

"I can save you."

Her eyes hardened at the sound of his promise. Once again her walls were put back up. "Not everyone wants to be saved." The last word slipped from her lips as quickly as she vanished into the throng escaping from the authorities.

Akira frantically searched for the slightest glimpse of where she had gone, but turned up with nothing. Snapping back into reality, he bolted out the door leaving Rui, Tsukasa, and Soujiro to fend for themselves.

"Akira!"

"Leave him be! He'll get out on his own. I can see the cops coming!" Tsukasa screamed pulling Soujiro out of the club. "Run!"

-------------------------------------------

Rui, Soujiro, and Tsukasa stumbled towards the door leaving a stench of blood, sweat, and beer behind. They leaned against the walls gasping for air waiting for the door to open. From the other side they could hear the shuffling of feet followed by a slur of curses. The door swung open revealing a very irate Tsukushi. The moment she caught a glimpse of the messes in front of her, her arms dropped to her side.

"What the fuck happened to you?!" she sternly whispered pulling all three of them into the apartment. She turned around to check to hall making sure trouble had not followed them to their safe haven.

Tsukasa fell onto the couch with a groan. His hand cupped the side of his face where a large gash from where a bottle had slammed into his forehead spurted out another wave of blood. His knuckles dropped blood onto the hardwood floors in a trail from the door.

Rui limped over to a chair slowly lowering himself onto the soft cushion. He winced the second his rear made contact. He licked his lip, which had been split open tasting his own blood.

Soujiro, who was probably the sorriest of the bunch fell beside Tsukasa letting his head roll back onto the back of the couch, His left eye had suffered a heavy blow slowly forming into what would become a black eye. He struggled to try to open his eye, but failed realizing that it had swollen shut.

The blanket Tsukushi had draped over herself fell to the floor as she ran around in search of first aid supplies. "Shit!" she muttered to herself dropping the first aid kit to the ground next to Tsukasa. While running back and forth she barely slipped on Tsukasa's blood leaving her own bloody footsteps across the floor. She rolled him over placing a towel over his cut trying to staunch the bleeding. "Apply pressure to this until the bleeding stops," she barked. She grabbed the bowl of ice throwing a few cubes into a clean cloth and bundling it up. "Rui, use this on your lips. It'll stop the swelling." She pulled herself onto her knees and sat down beside Soujiro lifting a finger to gently poke at his eye.

"Stop it! It hurts like a mother fucker!"

Tsukushi ignored his protests and placed the last of the ice into another towel. Purposely she plopped the bundle down onto his eye. "It should." She sat with her hands in her lap smoothing out the wrinkles in her nightgown. "Who's going to tell me what happened?"

The three men glanced from one to the other not wanting to be the one to take the heat. Silence ensued.

Seeing as how she wasn't going to be getting any answered anytime soon she turned to Soujiro. "Jiro, you tell me what happened."

He shifted in his seat trying to clear the lump n his throat. He slowly took a few slow breaths before he began to speak. "One word. Reiko."

"Reiko?" Tsukushi gasped in shock. "God! I thought she wouldn't dare show her face around here after what happened."

"She was working when Akira found her. You know how she affects him. Like always one thing led to another and somehow we ended up starting a riot."

"Fuck," she sighed rubbing her temples trying to focus on the situation at hand. "Where is he?"

"We don't know. The cops came and he made a run for her. We barely got out before the cops started busting up the place.'

Tsukushi stood up and walked out of the room not wanting to hear anymore. She strode across the room and disappeared into her bedroom reappearing moments later fully dressed. She pulled her air back into a ponytail heading straight for the door. "Rui, lend me your car?"

"Where are you going?" he pulled his keys form is pocket and tossed them to her.

"She caught them in mid air and spun around opening the door. "Make sure Kaya doesn't wake up. I'm going to find that idiot."

-----------------------------------------

I never meant for things to have happened the way they did. Do I really have a hero complex? Fuck. Look at me. I can barely take care of myself. Whatever possessed me to think I could take care of her? She came to me thinking I could help her get out of it, and I stupidly believed I could do it. I shouldn't have left her alone. I should have kept an eye out for her. In the end, all the help I intended on giving her lead to her own death.

"I'm an idiot," Akira whispered to himself. He took another swig of his now warm beer as he looked down at the flashing of traffic racing underneath him. His legs dangled over the edge of bridge extending over the heavily trafficked highway. His clouded mind eased a little at the blur of lights flying underneath him.

Tsukushi ran breathless stopping when she finally caught sight of him. She knew he would be there. He always came here for some weird reason. Slowly she crept up from behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Not thinking about jumping are we?" she laughed. She pulled herself up onto the railing and took a seat beside her forlorn friend. Her nose crinkled at the stench of beer coming from him with each heavy breath he took.

"You wanna come? I heard Hell is a nice place to be this time of year," he smiled turning to her.

"I would prefer Aruba, but whatever floats your boat." She turned her attention at the cars racing underneath them thinking about the speed they were going and the height at which they were seated. One false move and there would be one unsightly mess to clean up. She jolted out of her thoughts grabbing the beer from Akira's hand before it could touch his lips. She pulled it to her own mouth pouring the rest down her throat. "I heard you bumped into Reiko."

"Yeah."

"Yeah? Is that all you've got to say for yourself?"

His temper started to flare up again. "What do you want me to say?! You want to hear about how I paid her $1500 hoping she would take the money and go home? Or do you want to hear about how I caught her prostituting herself to some guy?! I put myself on the line offering her a way out and she threw it back in my face! Then she accuses me of killing Aya! Are you happy now?! Are you fucking happy now?!" He crumpled over rolling back onto the solid ground letting his back slide down against the stone wall sobbing.

Tsukushi carefully flipped herself back onto the safe side of the railing and sat down beside him. "You still feel guilty about Aya's death don't you?"

"I killed her," he barely whispered in between choked sobs.

"You really are a dumb ass." She rested her head against his shoulder and rubbed his back trying to sooth away the choked sobs. "It wasn't your fault what happened to Aya. You didn't know her pimp would come after her and you obviously didn't know she would ho out to meet him one last time. She chose to walk out that door. She agreed to meet him one last time without telling you."

"I could have stopped it if I kept an eye on her. I could have saved her."

"You can't save them all."

Akira slowly opened his eyes and wrapped his arms around Tsukushi in search of some comfort to his grief. All he could feel was anger, hurt, and pity. "I shouldn't be around people. I just end up hurting you all in the end. I'm a fucking coward."

At this point Tsukushi's patience was wearing thin at his pity and self-loathing. She pulled him away form her and slammed his back against the concrete wall. "You are a fucking coward! You'll obviously never be able to accept the reality of this all. Reiko is a big girl and she'll do whatever the fuck she wants. Let her make her own choices, screw up, live, die, whatever! Don't let her pin her own insecurities on you! You're better than you think you are, but you're just too damned scared to see that you aren't the same idiot you used to be."

"Why?" his hoarse voice asked. "Why did you choose me? Any one of them would have been better than me."

"Isn't it obvious?" She stood up extending a hand to him.

Akira took the hand offered to him and stumbled to get up. He watched her as she leaned against the railing letting the warm night breeze hit her face. A smile spread across her lips. She released a heavy sigh and stared into his questioning eyes.

"You have the one thing that the others don't. I see it. They all see it. You're the only one blind to it all. You care Akira when no one else does. As long as I've known you you've always searched for one thing. You want to be whole, a part of something, a family. You may not think it, but you make us a family. You keep us all together because you care. It's all in here." She put a hand over his chest. "You have heart." She dropped her hand away and turned back to look out into the night sky.

"That is the cheesiest thing I've ever heard," he laughed.

"It was all I could come up with," she smiled glancing over at the apparent blush over his face. Tsukushi leaned over resting her head on his shoulder.

In turn, Akira wrapped his arms around waist from behind feeling the warmth of her body spread through him. "Thank you," he whispered." Slowly, he bent down and brushed his lips over hers stealing a chaste kiss.

Her body shifted under his arms with each slow breath she took. She slipped out from his hold and placed a finger over his lips. "You're drunk."

"I know."

She slipped her hand into his entwining her fingers with his. She stopped to look into his face that had calmed a bit. "Let's go home."

Having her smiling beside me as we walked off the bridge together I could feel all the trepidation, all the anxiety, all the worry fade away. Only she could bring me back answering all the questions I had so desperately sought to answer. I'm Akira. I may seem like an idiot sometimes. I act like I don't care about much with a dumb smile on my face all the time. My mask will fall shattering into a thousand pieces, but she'll always help me put it all back together. It may be missing a few pieces, but I'll come out ok. I can't save them all and I know that. For now, I'll work on saving myself.


	6. Brothers and Sisters

Disclaimer: The same as always.  
  
Random Ramblings: I've been trying to be good with the updates. School's started and the anxiety has begun. I've still got my two other fics to continue, which I promised to start up again in September, so my attention will be divided. Based on my course load this semester, I won't have much time to write. I'll probably be writing two chapters a month, but not too sure from which stories. If you want to catch up with my progress on when this will be updated just check out my profile. I will post up any notes when I figure out what I will do with this. Excuse the typos. Whoo! 24 pages! As always review! Ja!  
  
Chapter 6: Brothers and Sisters  
  
Tsukushi carefully ambled through the hallway with Akira in tow. What had started as a night like any other had ended rather awkwardly with four badly injured men, one breakdown, and a sleepless night. Tsukushi placed a hand over her mouth as another yawn attacked her. She shook her head to knock herself back into consciousness. After entering her dimly lit apartment, she immediately headed for the living room to find Soujiro slumped over in a chair fast asleep and Rui passed out on the floor. Akira followed behind her like a lost little child wanting to grab onto her leg afraid of being left behind again.  
  
"Get some sleep," she whispered as she stood up on tiptoe and gently brushed her lips against his cheek. "We'll talk some more in the morning." She tiptoed over Rui's sleeping form towards Soujiro and peered down at the sleeping man. Brushing away the wisp of hair that had fallen over his eye, she smiled in relief knowing that the swelling had gone down a bit. His face twitched at her light touch, but he did not stir awake. Delicately she picked up the sheet he had been using as a blanket and pulled it up higher on him tucking him in. taking one last glance at Akira who sat alone in a chair facing the large balcony to the window she mumbled, "Good night."  
  
Akira's face reflected by the moonlight against the mirror revealed the slightest smile grace his lips. "Good night," he whispered in return. He watched as her small figure retreated into her bedroom listening to the tiny click of the door being closed.  
  
Tsukushi fell onto her bed lacking any energy to change out of her clothes. Her entire body ached and her brain was pounding lacking any real desire to function any longer. The moment her head hit the pillow she surrendered to the night entering the world of dreams.  
  
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Akira's eyes drowsily opened into two tiny slits letting the slightest glint of light hit his eyes before shutting them tight again. His mind was swirling in confusion of his present location. Along with the constant feeling that his head had been put through a blender, chopped, diced, and then pureed into a fine goop, he could barely make out what had happened last night thinking perhaps it had all been a nightmare. The dried blood on his knuckles and the foul lingering taste of alcohol on the roof of his mouth said otherwise, though, Yep, it was a nightmare, but one he had lived in reality.  
  
Seeing as how he would have to wake up and face his consequences sooner or later, he forced his eyes open and rolled over in the chair he had fallen sleep in. The light snores coming from behind the couch were enough to bring him out of his swirl of confusion and into the present situation. He stood up from the chair attempting to straighten out his sore back. His face winced in agony as a loud crack and pop in his back sent a searing pain through his body from his neck to his toes.  
  
"God damn!" he hissed under his breath.  
  
You know you're old when you wake up one morning from a night of drunken debauchery to find yourself begging for nothing more than a the image of rubbing Ben-Gay on every fucking inch of your body. I've really got to stop myself from believing that I've still got the body of a seventeen year old. Shit like this is going to kill me faster.  
  
He trudged through the living room grasping in the darkness towards the kitchen. Upon reaching his destination, he flicked the light switch on making sure that his presence would not awaken the others. Coffee. That was what he needed the most at the moment. After fumbling through a series of cupboards and cabinets, he finally managed to procure the bag of coffee grounds and pour them into the filter. In victory, he eagerly watched as the first drops of that god sent dark liquid sputtered from the coffee maker. He hopped up onto the counter holding onto the mug that Tsukushi had purchased for him ages ago. She had even gone to all the trouble to use a black permanent marker etching the word "Akira" onto the bottom making sure no one ever touched his mug. While he saw it as a sign of endearment on her part to go through all the trouble, she saw it as a necessary hygenic measure on her part. While she loved him like no other, she hated it when he used her cup not knowing where his mouth had been the night before. Akira cradled his mug in his hands carefully eying the pot slowly brimming full enough to fill his mug and pulled it out pouring the first of its contents into his mug. He took one slow, long sip from the mug letting the jolt of caffeine knock some sense into him awakening all of his senses with its bitter flavor. Peering over the edge of his large mug, he glanced down in shock at seeing a trail of red footsteps trailing through the kitchen and leading to the living room. A pang of guilt hit him once again as well as another migraine reminding him that he would have a lot of apologizing to do later. Knowing how Tsukushi was an extreme neat freak, he walked over to a closet and pulled out a bucket and mop. He would be cleaning up after a lot of shit he had created last night.  
  
----------------------------------------------------  
  
As much as he had wanted to sleep, Tsukasa just couldn't do it. The entire night had been spent tossing and turning. To make matters worse, with each turn of his head he would accidentally brush his cut on his forehead against the soft pillow sending jolts of pain through his head. So, he had resolved to lying flat on his back stiff as a board trying to let sleep succumb him. Only once had he been awakened. The creaking of the front door being opened muffled voices indicated that Tsukushi had managed to find Akira. They had come home last night at about 3 in the morning, one hour after he and the others had decided to crash. After taking in a whopping 3 hours of sleep, he restlessly sat upright and flung the sheets off of him. He stalked across the room and thrust the curtains open to see the sun slowly rising in the horizon. He wrinkled his nose as the inviting scent of coffee filled the morning air. Someone couldn't sleep either.  
  
He peeked out the door to take a quick look at who could be up at such an ungodly hour before the sun. Tsulushi's door was closed so she must be still asleep. Rui was comatose on the floor and Soujiro was happily snoring away. That left one last person-Akira.  
  
Akira. He's the last person I want to see this morning. I knew he was a freaking lunatic when I first laid eyes on him. I can't believe that he would get so riled up after some girl, a hooker for that matter! I mean she wasn't even that hot in the first place. She looked pretty much like any other whore you could find in the city late at night on a dark corner. Maybe she was an old girlfriend or something, who knows? Rui and Soujiro wouldn't answer nay of my questions. All they kept muttering was some shit about Akira and his privacy. Well, I thin he lsot that option when he decided to pull me into a riot started by him and not want to get a fucking answer as to why he did it. All I know is that I got my ass kicked last night because of him. Although I have to admit, I did enjoy that adrenaline rush when I knocked that bastard's teeth out last night. A fight is a fight, and I'm game for that.  
  
He padded down the hall to a rather unexpected sight. A rather battered Akira happily hummed to himself while wearing yellow rubber gloves and swishing a mop back and forth erasing the blood stained floors. eh stopped the minute he recognized another presence in the room and dumped the mop back into the bucket.  
  
"You want some coffee?" he timidly asked while yanking his gloves off.  
  
"Yeah," Tsuaksa grunted in return.  
  
Akira spun around and emerged a few moments later with two cups in tow. He handed one to Tsukasa before sliding the glass doors to the balcony open and motioning him to follow. "Come. I know you probably have some questions about last night."  
  
Tsukasa reluctantly followed wondering what Akira could have to say to explain himself last night. What more could there be to add to the fact that he had lost it. He closed the glass door behind him not wanting to disturb the others still asleep on inside. He chose one of the patio chairs across from Akira and looked out at the scenery waiting him to begin to speak. At the moment he couldn't stand the sight of the bastard. Hell, he wanted to pummel him fro getting him involved in the entire mess.  
  
Akira set his mug on the floor and proceeded to place prop his feet up onto the balcony's railing. He pushed the chair up balancing himself on the two back legs. He looked up at the sky and took a deep breath.  
  
"I'm sorry about last night. I really didn't mean to lose it."  
  
"Sorry! Do you think a simple sorry is enough to make up fro this hole in my head. I wanted to fucking slam your head into that stone wall right now. The only thing stopping me form doing that is the fact that you appear to be the only one able to explain the shit that happened last night. I think I at least deserve that for my trouble.  
  
"You're right. Isn't it enough that I feel like a self deprecating little shit right now. I would tell you what I was going to say if you would shut up for a damn minute!"  
  
"Damn right! I can't believe you would go through all that for some dumb bitch prostitute," Tsukasa haughtily murmured under his breath.  
  
Akira's back stiffened and he shot Tsukasa a deathly glare. His knuckles turned white form clenching the arms of his chair. "If I were you I would watch your words until I explain."  
  
"Fine." Tsukasa waved a lofty hand and leaned back in his chair ignoring the look that Akira was sending him.  
  
"Do you have any siblings?"  
  
A warm smile spread across Tsukasa's lips at the thought of his sister. Deep down she was the only thing he missed the most from his old life. Living on the street and running away like a refugee from their parents hadn't given him much time to get in contact with her. He snapped out of his revelry and nodded, "Tsubaki. She's my older sister."  
  
Akira's airy laughter echoed through the air. "Then you should understand more that anyone else where I'm coming from."  
  
"You mean? That girl?"  
  
Akira nodded his head in silent assent. "Reiko's my little sister."  
  
Suddenly everything did make sense. Tsukasa imagined himself in Akira's shoes at the prospect of finding your sister working as a prostitute in some club. What man wouldn't have wanted to beat the shit out of the person that dared solicit his sister?"  
  
"Dude, you've got one fucked up little sister, and I thought I had problems with my own. I would kill any bastard that tried to lay a finger on my sister. What the hell kind of guy  
  
"Like any big brother, I would do anything for her. I guess I have myself to blame for it all really."  
  
Tsukasa watched intently as Akira slowly began his tale.  
  
"I guess the way Reiko turned out was partly my fault. I wasn't exactly the model big brother growing up. My family was never exactly rich you know. I had both my parents and everything, but they were never really around. My father worked like a dog morning till night. My mother was just another housewife picking up jobs here and there trying to get some extra cash. It was pretty much always me raising my sisters. My life revolved around my two sisters, Reiko and Aya. I was the one who would make their lunches, take care of them when they were sick, and tuck them in at night. They were my entire fucking life." From his wallet, he pulled out a tattered photograph of a boy standing beside two little girls. He rubbed his thumb over the worn piece of a paper trying to revitalize the picture. "The one on the right is Aya and the other as you can see is Reiko. They must have been about 8 and 9 at the time, while I was 15. This was the taken the last time we were together."  
  
"So what happened to you guys?"  
  
"When you're young you get caught up into a lot of stupid shit. I mean I was fucking 15 at the time and all I could care about was getting laid, cars, and all that commercial shit you're brainwashed into thinking you need. Peer pressure is a pain in the ass. I hated being poor. I hated living in a dump. Well, pretty much I hated my family for making me take care of everyone. I started shirking my responsibilities stealing cash from my parents when they weren't looking to buy clothes and shit. Then it kinda spiraled downhill after that. I took the money that was left to buy groceries and bought a fake ID instead. I used it to sneak into all the good parties. I hooked up with some guys like me there. We started playing around making a game out of how many drinks we could get women to buy us. I felt like hot shit and my reasons were only more justified when I found that usually I won the bet. It started innocently with drinks. Slowly, I started relationships with these women. It seemed as if they wanted to throw their money around on me buying me clothes, jewelry and one even bought me a fucking car. I mean it was a goddamn win-win situation. They got to show off to their friends and co-workers by going to functions and whatnot with a young, stud on her arm. I was their fuck toy, and I made them feel good about themselves. In return, I got whatever I damn well pleased. When my parents started questioning where I got all the new shit they weren't exactly thrilled with my new set up. They threw me out of the house. I never looked back once and walked away from them ignoring their begging for me to come back. I ended up spending the next two years living in an apartment given to me by one of my many admirers. I was living the high life. I hopped from woman to woman having them always give me what I wanted or needed. I thought I was unstoppable."  
  
"So what made you stop? I mean you pretty much had everything. Why end it all?"  
  
"I was lucky for getting by so long on my good looks and charm, but playing the game and winning can't last forever. Being who I was, you could say I had met quite a few people of the same type of profession. It's funny how you show up at those high society functions and realize that half of the dates brought along are no more than escorts or prostitutes. We're all hired to just look pretty and make our dates look good. As long as we keep our mouths shut up, smile, and nod at appropriate moments we're fine. They all walk around acting high and mighty pretending like we don't know each other. It's all part of the game we play. My head was so fucked up on drugs, booze, and sex. As long as the party was still raging on I wasn't gonna get out. Shit goes down and we are nothing more than the shit makers. Honestly, I had no clue who I was fucking half the time and I could care less. I won't name nay names, but it was my own idiocy that got me into the mess. Let's just say I got involved with a certain wife an infamous yakuza boss. I had no idea who she was. She set me up in a nice apartment, gave me all the money I needed, and even hired me a maid. What I didn't know was that she was using me to piss off her husband and exact her revenge on his infidelities. I was lucky I came out alive after he sent out his thugs after me. I was found lying in a dumpster somewhere in the Juuban district. It probably was a blessing in disguise that I got caught in the act with his wife actually. I lost it all after that. By that point I was waiting to die in the streets. I was pretty much in the same shape you were in. I couldn't go home with my tail between my legs running to mommy and daddy. Then I found Last Resort and I met the others. They helped me clean myself up, go back to school, and get my life back on track. That's pretty much my whole story up to now."  
  
Tsukasa rested his head back against the chair and gazed up at the now sky illuminated by the long risen sun. "So, what happened to your sisters?"  
  
"I thought you would ask about that. About two years ago, I eventually got the guts to go home in some futile attempt to reach some resolution with my parents. The second I stepped through the gates I was thrown back out. From my mother's strangles screams and my father's death threats, Aya and Reiko had run away two years prior of my visit. They discovered I had secretly been sending them gifts and stuff for their birthdays and Christmas reminding them that I didn't forget them. Hell, I did it to quell the guilt I was feeling for abandoning them. I spent the next few months trying to track them down wondering where they might have been. It was all coincidence and pure luck that I found Aya. She came to the club, but she wasn't alone. She was only 15, and obviously too young to be where she was. That was when I found her and promised to never leave her again. I took her home with me and in turn, she told me what had happened the last few years. Things at home only turned worse after I left, and they both hated our parents for forcing me to leave. One day out of nowhere they packed up what they had and left home. They struggled for the first few months living shelters and picking up odd jobs here and there for food. They finally met up with some people and pooled their money to get an apartment together. Everything was going fine for a few months, but then one day Reiko disappeared. She turned on Aya accusing her of always being weak and needing to be taken care of. So, Reiko ran off with some guy she met and never looked back. Aya was now the only one making money and it wasn't enough to cover her share of the rent, but one of the other girls offered her some easy money. She said a friend of hers could give her a job waitressing at a club he worked at. Aya agreed only because she had met the guy once before and thought him to be nice. The girl brought her to a club and left her alone in the room. That's where she first hooked up with Jay."  
  
Akira's voice cracked as the man's name fell from his lips. His hands tightened around his mug trembling. Tsukasa could only focus on the cup expecting it to shatter into a thousand pieces. Instead, Akira put the mug cup down and steadied his voice bringing it down to a low almost inaudible whisper. He turned his face away, although the faint drops of water that fell onto the concrete told of his anguish.  
  
"The bastard raped her that night. All she could do was scream while he fucked her over and over again in between beatings. He got away with it, too. They lured her to the club knowing the loud music and drunks would veil the torture that was taking place upstairs in one of the private rooms. The entire time he just kept repeating the same words over and over again, 'You're nothing more than a useless bitch for fucking.' He broke her that night and afterwards told her that if she wanted to live, she would become one of his girls. Aya had no other choice, so she took it. Later, she found out that Reiko had worked with Jay before, but she ran off with one of the clients. Aya had no clue that Reiko had become a prostitute behind her back. It only made her accept the job more easily knowing that if her older sister could do it, so could she."  
  
Tsukasa knelt down beside Akira feeling for his agony. As a brother, how could you accept the knowledge of your sisters' indiscretions? He placed a comforting hand on his shoulder feeling the man's body tremble under the slight touch. "You don't need to say anymore," Tsukasa mumbled. He stood up and began to retreat from the balcony.  
  
"No. Sit down. I'm not finished."  
  
The calmness in this voice stopped Tsukasa dead in his tracks. He turned around bewildered by Akira's attempt to stop him from leaving. The command in his voice was enough to make him do as told. Dumbly he returned to his seat.  
  
"I will finish what I've started," Akira grunted wiping the last trail of tears from his face. Slowly he began to speak once again. "It must have been the worst year of her life selling her body to live. It's seems pointless, doesn't it? In order to live, you have to die every night letting some strange person violate your body, mind, and soul. When I took Aya home with me, she barely resembled the chubby little 8 year old I used to walk to school every morning." He rifled through a secret compartment of his wallet and pulled out a second photograph handing it to Tsukasa.  
  
Tsukasa could only gape at the photograph in disbelief that the little 8 year old girl with the two pigtails and chubby rosy cheeks had turned into that. She had grown a few inches taller and filled out in places in that transition from girl to woman, but her eyes said it all. They were glazed over as if she had seen hell and more so. Her once full soft, pink lips had become two thin, dry lines lacking any color. Her face was lifeless and the clothes she wore hung off her skeletal body. Tsukasa could hardly contain the look of disgust that crossed his face followed by a sharp gasp.  
  
Akira snatched the photo back and tucked it safely away. "That's what I thought too when I saw her. Everyone was good about me bringing Aya into the club. I was going to protect her from Jay. I promised her and myself that I would never let him touch her ever again. Sakurako was more than thrilled to have another roommate who was female. Tsukushi was ready to train Aya, too. She never even made it to her first day, though. Sakurako and I were both at work and Aya was alone. Sakurako and I were both busy at work, and we told her we'd be back by 10 to go for dinner. She must have got hungry or something from waiting so long. She left a note saying she was running out to the convenience store. I got home and panicked the moment I realized she had gone out. I fucking told her to never leave without one of us. I fucking told her! I ran through every street looking for her, but I never did. I called everyone to help me look, but she was nowhere to be found. I must have ran from one side of Tokyo to the other looking for her. I deliriously thought maybe she had gone home and that it was some stupid mistake on our parts for not looking there. On the way home there I noticed a crowd gathering a few blocks from my apartment. There was a girl. They found her in the dumpster. She was raped and naked. Her body was covered in blood and bruises. Her face had caved in from impact of being beaten with a lead pipe. It was almost impossible to identify her, but I could recognize my sister in any way, shape or form. That bastard killed her."  
  
At that point, Tsukasa wanted nothing more than to retch over the balcony at the sight of the girl's beaten dead body. His stomach lurched as the image formed in his mind. Akira stood up and sent a fist into the wall smashing few pebbles of concrete to the ground letting the dust swirl through the air. His cuts on his knuckles reopened streaking a thin line of blood from the dent in the wall.  
  
"The fucking bastard had the balls to brag about what he did after. It was all over the street as a symbol of what Jay did to his girls if they tried to leave. The day of her funeral, Reiko showed up from nowhere. I went out with open arms and she in turn gave me this."  
  
He pulled up the side of his shirt revealing a scar at the base of his back. A few inches to the left was his spine.  
  
"She stabbed me in the back, literally."  
  
"Akira!"  
  
Akira dropped the bottom of his shirt concealing his old wound. Hiding his bloody hand behind his back, he stirred from his melancholy. "Morning, Kaya!" He shot her his famous Akira smiles and strode over to the open door where Kaya impatiently stood awaiting his arrival. Like always he picked up the fragmented remnants of his lackadaisical mask placing it over his face. Although he smiled the same smile the world had become so adjusted to the small group knew what he was doing. He was trying ot hid all the pain, regret and anguish by putting on his false pretense of happiness. Yes, he appeared happy, but at the same time he was devoid of any more emotion. He would never feel anything ever again the same way. Kaya linked her tiny hand in his free one pulling him inside. He silently nodded towards Tsukushi, Soujiro, and Rui who had been standing there listening for quite some time. He walked past them without a word following Kaya into the living room.  
  
"Mama, didn't tell me you slept over too. Did you see Jiro's eye?! It's all black and blue and gross! Why did you sleep over? What happened to Papa's face? Mr. Pineapple looks like a mummy with his head wrapped up."  
  
Akira nodded his head in agreement with the little girl's endless barrage of questions. She was exactly what he needed at the moment to lift his spirits. He took the towel Tsukushi leisurely slipped to him and wrapped it around his bloody hand.  
  
"What happened to your hand?"  
  
"It's nothing," he sighed patting her on the head and picking her up.  
  
With a soft thud, he dropped her onto the couch. All the energy drained from his body and his knees went weak forcing him to sit down beside the little girl. Kaya snuggled closer to Akira resting her head on Akira's chest staring blankly at the television screen. She tugged at the edge of the blanket Soujiro had left pulling it up to her chin. Her body trembled from the slight chill coming from the open windows to the terrace. From behind, Tsukushi leaned over the back of the couch laying a comforting hand on Akira's shoulder. Tsukasa was drawn into the living room and stood between Souijro and Rui staring blankly at the television screen. The monotone tone of the news anchor filled the large room breaking the deathly silence.  
  
"According to police reports, the young woman was discovered dead at the scene of the hotel room. The victim has been identified as a regular patron of the Silver Palace Motel seen entering with various men nightly. Some confirm having seen her working as one of the local prostitutes who venture into the establishment for business. As of right now, investigators are ruling the cause of death as murder."  
  
Tsukushi cupped a hand over her mouth cringing at the idea of who it might be. She wearily dragged herself onto the other couch seating herself next to Soujiro who had slumped down onto the armrest. She rested her head on his lap watching the camera pan to the EMT's rolling out the body bag. She buried her face in Soujiro's lap not wanting to watch another moment of it while Soujiro rubbed her back trying to sooth her. Akira snatched the remote form the coffee table and flipped the channel. The melodious chime of the background cartoon music resonated through the air disturbing the tense silence.  
  
"Let's watch something a little more appropriate for little girls," he sighed.  
  
Kaya absorbed herself in the flash of colors emanating from the television screen becoming engrossed in the high pitched voices booming out of the box. "Sailor Moon's on!"  
  
All the adults except for Akira glanced at one another wondering what could be going through Akira's mind. For someone who had just exposed his entire soul to a complete stranger, he was acting a little too calm for comfort. That was Akira, though. He would only see what he wanted to see and no one could do anything to force him into doing what he refused to do. An impending headache loomed over him, but he pushed it aside to stare blankly at the television screen in front of him. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. His brief lapse of inexplicable depth and maturity would be buried once again by the shroud of idiocy he hid behind.  
  
"Is it just me do any of you think Sailor Moon is fucking hot?"  
  
Tsukasa's jaw dropped to the floor. Rui rushed forward and grabbed his impressionable child away from the grasps of the pervert. Tsukushi and Soujiro grabbed for the nearest thing sending cushions flying at his head.  
  
"Idiot!" they all screamed in unison.  
  
"Remember what Papa told you about staying away from Akira, Kaya. He's not a good role model," Rui whispered to the little girl hugging her close to his chest. "Don't listen to anything that comes out of his mouth." He covered her ears and mouthed something extremely inappropriate for a child Kaya's age should hear at Akira. He uncovered Kaya's ears and ordered her to go to her room and change. Nodding her head, she obediently exited the room.  
  
"What?!" Akira incredulously asked in innocence. "Like none of you guys have ever thought about that before. I mean shit! They draw her naked when she transforms."  
  
"Actually, now that you mention it I've always kind of had a thing for Neptune and Uranus. Girl on girl action always turns me on," Soujiro laughed while edging away from the disapproving glare of Tsukushi.  
  
"I've always been partial towards Pluto," Rui murmured under his breath.  
  
"Oh god, not you too!" Tsukushi screamed in exasperation throwing her hands up on the air.  
  
Soujiro grinned at Rui's response forming a very shrewd conclusion to the way the man's sexual preferences. "I see you still retain your penchant for older women, Rui."  
  
"Get off your high horse, Tsukushi. We all know you have a thing for Tuxedo Kamen."  
  
"Did not! How would you know, Akira?"  
  
"Rui told me once," he snickered under his breath.  
  
"I can't believe you told him!" Tsukushi rushed over and tackled Rui to the ground straddling him between her legs while trying to suffocate him with a pillow. Her face blushed a few shades of red before turning back to normal. Soujiro pulled her off a gasping Rui and settled her onto the couch fuming over the little leak of private information.  
  
"You do realize that they're only cartoon characters, right?" Tsukasa sarcastically inquired baffled by their immaturity. Who would imagine that a room of twenty-somethings would be arguing over which cartoon girl was the hottest.  
  
"Loosen up, we're only kidding. You must have found one of the sailor scouts hot at one point?" Akira raised a leery eyebrow not buying his good guy act one bit.  
  
"Jupiter," Tsukasa shyly mumbled. His face flushed at the confession.  
  
"Hmm. You like the tall Amazon type, eh?"  
  
"Well, I've always liked a girl who could kick ass. It also helps that she does it in a short skirt."  
  
"Yeah, Sailor Moon's legs just seem to go on forever. What does she see in that prick, Tuxedo Kamen? I'll show her what a real man can do."  
  
"God! I'm surrounded by idiots!" Tsukushi stalked out of the room towards the kitchen leaving the men to further discuss their sexual fantasies involving imaginary characters from the anime world. She proceeded to pull out random pots and pans trying to zone out their conversation from her head.  
  
"Hey, have you guys seen that new anime, Hana Yori Dango?!" Tsukasa animatedly asked. "The leader of F4 is the shit!!  
  
"Yeah, it's pretty good. Although I can't believe that those four rich guys would wanna associate with the poor girl. I mean they could have at least tried to make her better looking. Too plain for my taste. I prefer the friend that works at the dango shop," Soujiro stated in a serious tone as he analyzed the main characters.  
  
Rui nodded his head in disagreement. "Well the poor girl represents someone completely opposite to women in their world. You're supposed to see her as beautiful for her personality and not her looks. She does look kind of pretty when they dressed her up. I have a problem with the quiet guy. What's the deal with him and that violin? All he ever does is mope around and play that damn violin."  
  
"I think he's using it in place of jerking off all the time. Do you see that face he has when he plays? That dude has got to be getting off on that thing."  
  
Akira stood up and walked out of the room leaving the very thought provoking discussion analyzing today's anime for the kitchen. "I'm going to help Tsukushi." He walked over to the sink and unwound the towel from his bloody hand putting it under the warm running water of the faucet. He winced in pain feeling the water cleanse the open cuts purging it clean.  
  
"Let me take a look at it," Tsukushi offered holding up a first aid kit.  
  
He submissively nodded his head and hopped onto one of the stool on the counter letting her examine his hand.  
  
"Doesn't look too bad," she muttered while spraying some antibiotics. She kept her eyes intent on the task at hand not looking up at his face for a reaction to the question she was about to ask. "You don't think it was her, do you?"  
  
"No. She never works the Silver Palace."  
  
"I see you told Tsukasa you're story. Did you tell him everything?"  
  
"I may have left out a few minor details here and there."  
  
"You must hate having to repeat what happened."  
  
"Yeah, but he had to know to understand. If you don't let people know the truth they'll never understand you. I still don't understand why you have to hide who you are Tsukushi. You can't shut people out."  
  
"Why? It'll just end up in someone getting hurt."  
  
"Mainly you."  
  
"Don't."  
  
"I worry about you. You know you're like a sister to me."  
  
"I know. Just like how you and Jiro are like brothers to me."  
  
"Then you understand it's my job to look out for you then.  
  
"Don't start with me again, Akira. I'm not in the mood for anymore of your."  
  
The ring of the doorbell interrupted her in mid sentence ending the beginning of what would have become a heated argument. "Someone's at the door.'  
  
"We're not done here yet."  
  
"We never are," she sighed waving a dismissive hand. She passed the ever so intellectual meeting of great minds still enthralled with the analysis of modern animation and headed straight for the front door. Swinging the heavy door open, she greeted her expected guests. "Hey."  
  
Sakurako looking less than pleased to have been rudely interrupted in the middle of her early morning romp in the bedroom grudgingly forced out a small, "Morning." She slumped against the doorframe letting out a drawn out yawn. "Where's mine?"  
  
"In the kitchen."  
  
She cracked her knuckles preparing to knock some sense into her ward. "Time to kick some sense into his sorry ass." She pushed pass Tsukushi fuming at Akira for once again falling prey to his sister's mind games.  
  
Every time this happens. Every fucking time she always gets to him. I've seen way too many girls like her go around playing with their heads. Shit, I was one of the best in my day, but that life is over with now. I've risen above all that. She probably used Aya against him like always. She thrives off knowing she can jerk him around with that. Aya was a sweet girl. She was just forced to do unmentionable things, but Reiko is a whole different story. She's just like me. We want it all at any price-money, power, dominance. It's all a matter of fucking the right people at the right time. I cast all of that aside when I joined this family. I shed the false security of the 'girls' and found something real. I didn't have to watch my back constantly feeling wary on another encroaching upon what was mine, what I had worked so long and hard to obtain. I truly pity Akira. He lost one to the street and now he's stuck in a never-ending battle with the other. He doesn't know how it works between women. He may not be strong enough to break off ties with her, but I'll be damned if she pulls him down. If she wants a fight, she'll get one. I'm tired of his hesitations and cowardice. That little girl has another thing coming to her. She hasn't met this bitch yet.  
  
Sakurako stormed past Rui, Tsukasa, and Soujiro chatting in the living room ignoring the look of fear in their eyes. Rui and Soujiro both knew what was coming and could only cringe when the wooden blind was pulled closed shielding them a view of the kitchen. The last sound uttered from the dying man's lips was something along the lines of, "Eep."  
  
"Should we go help him?" Yuuki giggled trying to talk over Sakurako's slur of expletives screeching through the apartment.  
  
"Naw. I think he might make it out alive."  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
"What is she doing to him?" Tsukasa asked cringing at the clatter of glass being smashed. "Should we go and help him at least?"  
  
"Don't bother. A word to the wise, don't mess with that girl when she's pissed." Soujiro glanced over to the kitchen that had suddenly turned deathly silent. "I think she's done."  
  
"If I have to come over here again and pick you up again I'll make sure you know what real pain is!"  
  
"Fuck! You could be more gentle next time." Akira walked a few steps behind her nursing his freshly bandaged hands.  
  
"Don't be such a wimp! All I did was clean up your cuts."  
  
"Well Sakurako does like to do everything rough."  
  
"Shut up! You're in deep, too, Jiro."  
  
"What are you talking about?" He froze the moment his eyes connected with hers. "Yuuki." he stuttered. He quickly recovered the look of terror with a weak smile.  
  
"Don't even try that. Believe me, I won't be half as gentle as Sakurako was on Akira."  
  
"Okay, okay, okay. Since we're all here I was going to tell you about the change in schedule. Akira you're normally off today, but after last night's events you're off the rest of the week. Jiro, you can take today off, too. We need you to tend bar tomorrow, and with that eye looking the way it is you need the rest." Her tone hardened the second she faced Rui. "I take it you and Shizuka will be practicing today."  
  
"Who'll take care of Tsukasa?"  
  
"I will."  
  
"You?"  
  
Soujiro pushed Tsukasa's slack jaw closed and slapped him on the back laughing. "You sound like she'll kill you or something?"  
  
"I want you to teach me. She's probably not half as good as you are. I don't wanna settle for anything less that the best."  
  
"Excuse you, but who do you think taught Jiro all he knows?"  
  
"She's right," he smirked. "She taught me every drink and every move I know."  
  
"It's settled then. I'll meet you at 4." She walked into the kitchen and pulled out a baggie. "Shit! I've got class at 8," she muttered under her breath. "Kaya! We've got to go now!'  
  
"Coming!" Kaya streaked out of her bedroom with her book bag slung over her shoulder. She jumped into Rui's lap wrapping her arms around him and kissing him softly on the cheek. As she hopped off his lap she looked around the room and waved. "Bye!"  
  
Tsukushi plucked her off the ground and started for the door. "If we hurry, we can stop and get some breakfast somewhere. See you all later.'  
  
Soujiro stretched his arms up into the air yawning. "I need to get back to my own bed and sleep. That couch wasn't the most comfortable place to sleep."  
  
"I'll drive," Yuuki sighed grabbing his car keys from his hand. She wrapped one of Soujiro's arms over her shoulder to help him out of the apartment. "Later."  
  
"I guess we should be going, too."  
  
"Yeah. Hey, Rui can you give us a ride back to our apartment?"  
  
"Come on."  
  
Rui, Akira, and Sakurako departed shortly after leaving Tsukasa alone for some much desired peace and quiet. He stumbled back into his bedroom and fell onto the soft mattress of the bed. Quietly he stared up at the ceiling memorizing every point of chipped paint and cracks. His mind lingered on the details that Akira had filled him in on. Somewhere in the back of his mind he wondered how Tsubaki was faring. God only knows the trouble she could get herself into.  
  
"Any man who has a sister is as good as dead," he muttered to himself.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------  
  
Tsukushi held tightly onto Kaya's hand as they walked through the barren alleyway behind the club. She nodded her head while listening to Kaya talk a mile a minute about her day. It was times like this she just enjoyed her company the most. All she needed was Kaya. Why let someone else into hr life, when all she needed was in front of her.  
  
The moment they approached the open doorway they could already hear long sultry notes being carefully arranged into a cacophonous harmony. For a moment, Tsukushi closed her eyes surrendering to the music. She had to admit it really was quite beautiful. The only thing that soured the peaceful enjoyment of the music was the afterthought of the two who created it.  
  
"Mama."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"One day I want to sing like an angel, too."  
  
"I bet you will," Tsukushi weakly smiled. She intently watched Kaya twirl in circles humming a playful little tune she had made up off the top of her head.  
  
Not if I have anything to do with it. I swear to never let you ever taste the addicting lure of being on stage. Singing in front of crowds begging for more of your voice and body is like drugs. You can't get enough of it. You thirst for it. Ache for it. Prostrate yourself for it. Addiction. It's a dangerous thing.  
  
"Come. Let's go inside.'  
  
They stood in the back of the room watching silently as the song unfolded. Rui enclosed himself in the music letting it spill forth with the touch of each ivory key of the piano. Tsukasa dumbly leaned his chin against the back of the chair with his mouth hanging open. He openly gawked at Shizuka who stalked towards him swaying her hips and staring intently at him mesmerizing him. She slipped an arm over his shoulder and huskily breathed the last few words of the song into his ear before slipping away and back onto stage. She devilishly grinned to herself knowing her true effects on her unsuspecting victim. As the song came to an end, she seated herself besides her lover and leaned against his shoulder while softly humming the last few notes. Rui pushed away a fallen strand of hair and kissed Shizuka on the forehead forgetting they weren't the only ones in the room.  
  
"Ahem," Tsukushi coughed drawing a rather nasty glare from Shizuka.  
  
"Hello, Tsukushi." Her voice dripped with a saccharine sweetness. "We didn't even hear you come in." She walked off the stage picking up the long trail of her skirt to greet them. She dismissively eyed Tsukushi before bending down to meet Kaya eye to eye. "How are you today, Kaya?"  
  
"Good. I was just telling Mama how one day I want to sing just like you."  
  
"Really?" she feigned modesty. "That's so cute of you. Maybe I can give you some lessons. We could start right now. Would you like that?"  
  
"Uh huh!"  
  
Tsukushi pulled Kaya back and stepped between the two breaking into their private conversation. "I don't think that would be a good idea."  
  
"Why not?" Kaya whined. She folded her arms across her chest pouting.  
  
"I don't want you taking too much of Shizuka's time. Also, I don't think it's appropriate to learn the type of singing Shizuka would teach you. If you want to learn I can teach you or even Yuuki. "  
  
Shizuka raised an eyebrow and threw hair back in annoyance. "If I recall correctly I was the one who taught you how to sing, Tsukushi."  
  
"You learned from Shizuka! Why can't I?!"  
  
She hated it when they blackballed her like this. Tsukushi could feel them ganging up on her giving her no choice in the matter. She knew she was going to sound extremely unreasonable, but she knew what was best for her daughter and that meant keeping her away form that whore Rui chose to associate himself with. She was tolerant when Rui would bring Shizuka out with Kaya, but even she had her limits. It was an outright slap in her face to let this woman lure her child into that woman's clutches.  
  
I've been silent all this time. I've never intentionally berated Shizuka in front of Kaya. Most people would say I'm a saint for even letting my child go near that woman. Enough is enough. I know how Shizuka works. She'll see her as a little project or play thing. She'll make her fall in love with her, worship the ground she walks on, love her unconditionally. She'll raise her up grasping for that brass ring, and the moment she almost touches it she'll let her fall. She'll grow tired of her and just walk away. Even when she leaves, that little girl will love her ever more so because she adores that woman. She'll walk away without a second thought and her with a broken heart. Shizuka will betray her love. I should know. I was that girl.  
  
"No and my decision is final!" Tsukushi roughly snapped.  
  
"But."  
  
"No buts. I don't want to hear another word about it!"  
  
"You're not being fair!"  
  
Rui saw the thin ice Kaya was walking on and quickly interrupted fearing that Tsukushi would go into a murderous rampage. Her first target would be Shizuka. Like he didn't have enough to deal with as is. "Kaya, you're mother's right. Why don't I teach you how to play the piano?"  
  
The gentle sound of her father's voice roused Kaya from her bout of sulking. Being just as stubborn and unforgiving as her mother, she stomped towards her father and nodded her head. Rui took her hand and lead her away giving the two feuding woman a look of warning.  
  
"Don't you dare fucking dare mention singing to her again"!  
  
"Why not? She wants it. Who am I to refuse the darling child?"  
  
"Stop acting all saintly like that! We all know what how you really are. She's just too young to see you for what you really are. For all I am concerned, you have nothing to do with her."  
  
"I beg to differ."  
  
"If you try to pull the same shit on her as you did me, I'll cut her off from him."  
  
"Yeah, you the wonderful mother using your own fucking child as a weapon against her father. You should win mother of the year."  
  
"Yeah, like you're a better role model. Who'd you sleep with to get that diamond bracelet? You have no right to ever judge me. You've done worse things than I've ever imagined. You should be so lucky that he didn't find out about what you really were. I still can't believe he fell for you. You strung him along using him for your own benefit while fucking someone else behind his back. I should have told him before this all happened. He's the only reason you're still here. Let's talk about you're life." Tsukushi triumphantly watched as Shizuka's lip tightened into two thin lines. "You've got nothing to say now. I should have known."  
  
"You really are a spiteful bitch!"  
  
"You should know. I learned from the best."  
  
Shizuka pushed Tsukushi aside and stormed off towards the back. "I'm going home!"  
  
Rui continued playing on the piano with Kaya by his side. His music slowly drowned out the underlying tension that left behind. He glanced up at Tsukushi who was now forcefully pulling bottles out from under the bar and then towards door Shizuka just slammed. He weakly smiled fro his daughter and continued to play. That what Rui always did. He knew not to get involved in their business. It was a fight between two women, something no man should ever dare enter. He did the only thing he could think of doing, play.  
  
"Let's get started," Tsukushi growled from underneath the bar.  
  
Tsukasa meekly stepped behind the counter and inched away as bottles were slammed onto the counter. By now, he knew better than to get in the path of Tsukushi's wrath. He gulped down the lump in his throat knowing it would be a long afternoon. He was going to be on the receiving end of her pet up aggression.  
  
----------------------------------  
  
For as far of as his eyes could see, they lined up in a perfect path. Each one looking exactly like the last marking the final destination for its inhabitants. Akira s meandered past each gravestone following the same path imbedded in his head. He always ended up there after hashing out the details of his sister's death. It was rather therapeutic for him to make a visit cleansing himself of the same doubt that plagued him day and night. He clutched the simple bouquet he had purchased from the elderly woman by the entrance gates. Briefly he stopped at the simple headstone and laid the flowers down on the earth. Whispering a silent prayer, to himself he knelt down on one knee and kissed the cold marble. It was a short meeting, but just the same as any other time he had visited. He couldn't bring himself to stay too long knowing that if he stayed a second more he would never be able to tear himself away. The silence was all but broken for a moment as he gazed longingly at the grave. His lips moved letting the words be carried away by the gentle winds.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
He stood up and placed a stone on the grave adding to the small pile tallying his number of visits. At that point, it had reached a small mountain. With one last look, he turned around and trekked down the small slope towards the main path. There was just one other person he needed to see.  
  
Akira strode down the main path away from the densely populated section of the cemetery and turned off the main route onto a small dirt road. His heartbeat quickened as he submerged himself deeper into the desolate area. The grounds in that part of the cemetery were bleak and unkempt unlike the area where Aya resided. He stared down at the ground counting off the numbers etched onto the markers.  
  
"98120.98121.98122."  
  
He stopped in front of the tiny pillar that marked the unknown grave. Akira had walked into the unknown dead. It was a rather depressing place to be based on the fact that the graves were never visited or taken care of. However, that one particular grave that Akira had found himself facing was oddly clean. A small patch of green grass sprouted on the earth in front of the headstone. Even the stone was kept impeccably clean. His fist tightened on his sides and he stared down hard at the ground. He bent down low putting his face a few inches from the ground.  
  
"I told you I would stop you. You'll never hurt another girl, Jay."  
  
-------------------------------  
  
"Gin and tonic"  
  
Tsukasa traced a finger among the bottles lined up against the wall searching for what he needed. Upon finding it, he pulled the bottle out from the rack and began mixing the drink apprehensively. It was the fortieth drink Tsukushi had ordered him to make. In a mere three hours, she had quickly ran through a list of drinks teaching him what went into what. Now it was her turn to test him on what he had learned that day. The last hour had been filled with his own mistakes. Each time he made a drink, she would snatch it from the counter and take a small sip spitting out it's contents screaming about the god awful taste even though he had followed her direction to the letter. Nothing was ever good enough for her. The counter was covered in glasses filled with a plethora of colored liquids. According to her, they were all failures.  
  
"Bleh! This just tastes like gin! How much did you put in it?!"  
  
"I put the amount you told me to put in it!"  
  
"This is the worst shit I've ever tasted!" She pushed the glass aside feeling a twinge of a buzz coming on. Forty drinks later, and she was starting to feel it.  
  
"I can't take this anymore! They can't all be bad. Let me taste it." He snatched the remaining liquid and poured it down his throat letting the alcohol sting his throat. He closed his eyes letting his sense of taste take over. "It tastes fine!" Now realizing that perhaps she had been screwing with his head the entire time, he began snatching drinks left and right taking sips from each of his so called 'failures'. "I don't understand what the hell you're talking about. They all taste the way they're supposed to taste."  
  
"That's not good enough! A good bartender doesn't just makes drinks that taste the way they're supposed to. You've got to make something that is even better. I can see that today has been a total waste of my fucking time. This lesson is over. I'm going to my office. Clean this up yourself if you think you can manage this simple task." She hopped off the bar stool and stalked towards her office slamming the door causing the walls to tremble in her wake.  
  
"Crazy bitch," Tsukasa muttered under his breath as he began clearing away the glasses.  
  
-------------------------------  
  
"Fuck!" Tsukushi screeched at the top of her lungs as she ripped the apron around her neck and chucked the crumpled ball at the wall. Upon impact it fluttered open falling onto the ground in a small heap. She fell onto her chair and let her face fall onto the desk with a thud.  
  
It's always the same thing. She always finds a way to annoy the hell out of me. She called me a bad mother! A bad mother! Me?! She's hardly the person to be going to when it comes to right and wrong. She always had to have what she desired forsaking everything else. To think, I had once worshiped the ground she walked on absorbing every word that came out of her mouth, They were all lies. I won't and will never forgive her. She took my life from me. Even after all the sins she's committed, she still wins in the end. She'll always have her place here and he ensured that. That's' the way it'll always be here, our own personal hell.  
  
------------------------------  
  
"Hey, Kaya and I just got back from dinner. We thought you might be hungry, so I got you this." Rui tossed a bag onto the counter. He hopped over the counter and pulled out two bottles of beer from the fridge. He snapped the cap off and clanked his bottle with Tsukasa's.  
  
"Thanks," he grumbled in between bites of the greasy burger in his hands. He gulped down the cold beer letting the cold liquid slide down his throat.  
  
He silently nursed his beer while stealing quick glances at Kaya, who was quietly sitting at a nearby table coloring. "How do you like the apartment?"  
  
Tsukasa nearly choked on his beer at the sound of Rui's cold voice. Even though he had only met Rui a few times, he had already formed one conclusion about his general demeanor- reclusive. "It's alright I guess. It's a lot nicer than my last place."  
  
"That's good." He silently continued drinking his beer and tossed the empty bottle away. "Do you think you could watch Kaya until Tsukushi gets back? I've got somewhere to go."  
  
"I don't think that's a good idea. I don't deal well with kids."  
  
"Don't worry. She likes you," he dismissively waved away his excuses.  
  
Rui walked over to Kaya and bent down to whisper a short good bye to his daughter. He picked up his jacket and flung it over his back.  
  
Kaya's looked up from her paper and stared inquisitively at Tsukasa like a lion hunting its prey. She jumped off her chair and climbed up onto one of the bar stools to stare at him while he cleaned the rest of the glasses.  
  
"Stop staring kid!"  
  
She cocked her head to one side and only continued to stare more intently at him. "Why?  
  
"It freaks me out?!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Didn't your mother teach you it's rude to stare."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Just stop it already!"  
  
She fell over in a fit of laughter knowing how easy it was to get him riled up. There was always something innate in children that could allow them to detect who would be an easy target. "You're very grumpy.  
  
"I am not. You're just very annoying."  
  
She frowned at his last statement revealing a small hint of hurt by his words. Strangely her lips curled up into a small smile. "That doesn't matter. I like you anyway.'  
  
"You're really one weird kid," he chuckled. He grabbed a small glass and mixed her a drink setting the red fizzy concoction. Trying to be fancy, he tossed a cherry high in the air catching it in the glass with a plop. He set it down in front of her and crossed his arms over his chest awaiting the verdict.  
  
Kaya picked up the glass and inquisitively stared at it wondering what it could be. She lifted the glass up and sniffed the contents. Daintily she took a tiny sip from the straw while scrunching up her face fearing the taste as if it were medicine. Her expression changed soon after. "This is good."  
  
"Well at least somebody likes my drinks."  
  
"If you managed to get Kaya to like one of your drinks, that must mean that it's damn good. She's normally a picky eater and drinker." Tsukushi leaned against the doorframe of her office watching Kaya slurp up the last few drops of her drink.  
  
"Thanks, Mr. Pineapple."  
  
"Will you stop calling me that?!"  
  
In response, he received a raspberry.  
  
"You really are the most annoying kid I've ever met."  
  
"Can I have one of those, too?" Tsukushi shyly asked.  
  
"Uh, sure." He repeated the same steps he had done to make Kaya's drink and set it in front of her.  
  
She took a small sip and the despondent look on her face lightened. "She's right. This is good. It looks like maybe you will get the hang of this. You make a damn good Shirley Temple. It's a start." She slapped the glass back onto the counter and picked up her purse. "Leave the rest. We can clean them up tomorrow. We should call it an early night." She wearily bent down on the ground to pick up Kaya's scattered book bag, jacket, and books.  
  
The three of them slowly walked out the back door after turning off all the power and locking up. Kaya's head lilted from one side to the other showing signs of fatigue. Tsukushi picked her up and wrapped her chubby little arms around her neck. With no free hands Tsukasa volunteered to carry their things.  
  
"I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier, baby. Mama was just very stressed out. Do you forgive me?"  
  
"I forgive you," Kaya dreamily replied closing her eyes.  
  
As they approached the car Tsukushi walked directly towards the passenger seat leaving Tsukasa a bit perplexed. She tossed her car keys at him. "How about you drive? I'm too dead to drive."  
  
"Sure, but are you sure?" Tsukasa choked out in utter surprise. In most circumstances, Tsukasa wouldn't have thought twice about getting n the car. He stared down taking a good look at the vehicle realizing that he had not actually taken a good look at it the first time. Then again, his inebriation had hindered his memory and vision that night, so that could explain how he could have missed this.  
  
"You gonna get in or what?"  
  
"Yeah." He slide into the driver's seat feeling the cold leather beneath him. He stared ahead at the hood of the care seeing the familiar icon he had grown up with. It had been a long time since he had driven one of those. He woke up room his revelry and started the engine listening to the soft purr of the engine. Little things like this he had grown to miss. The car lurched forward as he sped down the winding streets in Tsukushi's Jaguar.  
  
This woman never ceases to amaze me.  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
After tucking Kaya into bed, Tsukushi wandered down the hall stopping at Tsukasa's door. The closed door and lack of light leaking out from underneath the door indicated he had probably turned in early. Sighing relief of at the newfound solitude, she trudged towards the kitchen to make herself a cup of noodle. Silently she mentally cursed herself for not picking up something to eat on the way home as she slurped up the partially uncooked noodles. Wearing an old oversized sweatshirt and baggy sweatpants she trudged over to the couch and continued easting her sad little meal. She closed her closed and indulged in the surrounding silence.  
  
It's rare that I just get a chance to breathe. My days are usually filled with deadlines, errands, and bills. I just.I just wish I didn't have to do it all alone.  
  
She slipped out of her comfortable position on the couch and walked over to her bedroom shutting herself out from the rest of the world. Feeling a bout of insomnia hit her, she walked into her closet rummaging. Finding what she had been searching for, she settled herself into her favorite chair and opened up the book. The memories flooded back into her mind bringing with it all the youthful joy and energy she once had. She could feel herself being transported to a better time in her life when everything made sense. All the photographs in the album documented the only time in her life she felt safe, secure. They were filled with familiar faces- Yuuki, Jiro, Akira, Thomas, Kin, Tsuyoshi, and Junpei. Every few pages she would stop and frown at the empty pages with specks of old glue leftover from the photographs removed. The feeling could only last so long. She slammed the book shut and tossed the album onto the table not wanting to let that creeping sensation of foreboding encroach upon her happy memories. She peered down at the box and pulled out another album containing a different set of pictures. This one contained a few copies of the same pictures she had taken out of Tsukasa's room. She longingly stared down at the mysterious man with the sun kissed blonde hair and light tan. She could almost faintly recall the soft rumble of his deep voice when he spoke. The look of pure devotion in his eyes reserved only for her and her child. Droplets of water slowly dripped onto her the smiling man's face. Regret was rearing its ugly head, and she decided to put all the photographs away before she completely broke down. As she pushed the box back onto its high shelf, a small slip of paper slipped out and onto the ground. She bent over to pick it up and stared hard into it as if trying to burn a whole through it. Staring back at her was her own figure along with Rui, Shizuka and the man. Rui stood on her left while the man to her right. Shizuka had her arm wrapped around his free arm on the other side. Tsukushi could only stare down at the small glint of light coming from Shizuka's finger recalling when the picture had been taken. In disgust, she tore off the two ends of the photo cutting out Rui and Shizuka.  
  
I remember the day that was taken. You were so happy, so in love, so stupid. I loved you with all my heart, and she stole you away from me with her false promises. She never loved you with half as much heart as I did you. She hurt us both in the end. They both hurt us in irrevocable ways. Why did you have to fall in love with her Susumu? Perhaps once she did love you, but not enough to be loyal to you. I could have forgiven her for taking Rui, but not for hurting you, my own brother, in the process. I just don't know anymore. I should have tried to stop you from going through with it, but you were too much in love with her to see the truth. The person responsible for our undoing was Shizuka, your fiancée. 


	7. Heatwave

Disclaimer: Blahdy, blahdy, blah, blah blah  
  
  
Chapter 7: Heatwave  
  
  
I can't make it, Jiro.  
  
Let me take over. Geez, you make the disabled person do all the work. Move over.  
  
It's too tight to fit. You'll never get through there.  
  
I've done this hundred of time, Yuuki. I've just got to push in a little farther. Oh shit! Who's your daddy?!  
  
That's just like you to get overly anxious and have all the fun for yourself. What about me? She restlessly tapped her fingers against his back. Her legs straddled him from behind while he leaned his head between her legs.  
  
He glanced up for a moment taking in her pure look of frustration inwardly laughing to himself. It's not my fault that you're so inexperienced. I can't stop myself from moving ahead without you. You're too slow.  
  
You're so damn selfish!  
  
Fine, fine, fine. I always told you that you could come over and practice whenever you wanted.   
  
When? You've always got yourself some skank in here. What do you want me to say? Hey, get out of here so I can play with Jiro.  
  
Not like I would care. You're the only girl who will do this with me. It's rare to find a woman who knows how to have fun like this. I mean occasionally Akira comes over, but it's not the same.  
  
You're lucky that I decided to grace you with my company this fine night.  
  
I was wondering why you decided to come over. Weren't you supposed to go into work tonight.  
  
Eh. I called Tsukushi about it and she was cool about it. I didn't want to be around when Shizuka showed up anyways. Better to stay out of the crossfire, I say.  
  
Yeah. I heard about their little blow up last week. Sometimes I don't know who I should side with anymore. I mean Rui's in love with her, and she makes him happy. Or whatever happy is to him with his icy façade.  
  
What do you mean?! How can you not choose Tsukushi's side?! Shizuka should have the sense to get her scrawny ass out of our lives. I can't even believe the gall she had to offer Kaya singing lessons knowing full well how Tsukushi feels about singing.   
  
He defensively put his hands up in surrender. Whatever. I agree that Shizuka was provoking her, too, but I can't help but feel bad for Rui who's stuck in the middle. Let's just drop the issue.   
  
She tugged at her camisole while fanning at her face with her free hand. Jeez, it's fucking hot in here. I'm sweating like a pig. Can you open the window or something?  
  
Soujiro stood up from his comfortable position and grudgingly stalked over to the window flinging it open letting in some of the warm night breeze into the room. He peered his head out the window sucking in a deep breath of the muggy air. Beads of sweat dripped down his neck trickling down his bare chest. What's with this weather? It feels like an inferno out there.  
  
Yuki sprawled out on the couch resting her head on the arm. Sloppily she grabbed a hand full of hair and piled it on top of her head pinning it up. The satin and lace camisole melded onto her body glued on by the most of moisture emitted from her overheated skin. Today isn't that bad. I heard this heat wave may last a few weeks, though. Summer's going into full swing.  
  
Just what we need.   
  
Well, you know the heat brings out the worst in people.  
  
In a pure act of irrational thought, he jumped over the couch landing on top of his prey straddling her beneath him. He lowered his face to hers leaving a mere centimeters between their faces. Their eyes locked for a moment mixed flaring with a mix of lust, desire, and hope. The gentle tease of his warm breath against her skin flushed a light pink stain across her cheeks.   
  
So what are you going to do now?' Yuki barely stuttered out. Knots formed in the pit of her stomach anticipating his next move. She brought a hand to his cheek, her fingers gliding over the bruise by his eye. You know that black eye just makes you look even more... sexy  
  
I His body hovering dangerously over hers shifted slightly lowering down on hers. In one jerk movement, he reached beneath her and pulled out the controller from underneath her. He could feel her back arch up towards him inviting him to mold against her. With less than graceful efforts, his body rolled off of her as he hit the ground with a thud. Propping himself back into a sitting position against the back of the couch he proceeded to stare into the television screen unpausing the video game they had been indulging in previously. I'm ready to kick some more ass. His unwavering cool voice cut through the sexual tension like a knife shattering any chance of something more happening that night.  
  
You had to be blind to not notice the trace of disappointment cross Yuki's face. She closed her eyes trying to calm her breathing, which had rapidly increased with that close encounter. She was so close that time. Despite that bubble of hope that had been burst, she wasn't as crushed beyond recognition as expected.   
  
I knew what was coming, like that punk ass would ever try to make a move on me. It has always been like this. What more does he need from me? Do I have to resort to tying him to the bed forcing succumbing to my desire to act out every naughty idea that ever crossed my lustful and very sexually deprived mind? Nishikado Soujiro is a fucking idiot!  
  
Finally settling for defeat and acceptance that the only relief she would ever get from that warm, fiery sensation burning between her legs would come from a battery operated , she took her previous position behind him wrapping her legs around his back. She sighed as he rested his head back between her legs ignoring her discomfort that he would feel how hot for him she really was.   
  
Why did I let her come over? She just showed up at my doorstep holding a six pack in one arm and a pizza in the other. Who was I to turn away good food and company? I fucking screwed things up with her again, didn't I? If she wraps her legs around me any tighter I think I won't be able to hold down my little soldier's salute. Damn it! I guess I'll be locking myself in the bathroom later with page 56 of the Victoria's Secret catalogue. Come on, Jiro. Get it together! It's Yuki, off limits Yuki. Don't turn around. Focus on the TV screen. Think cold. God, do I need a cold shower.   
  
Someone must have heard Soujiro's silent prayers, for the doorbell rang just in the nick of time. Both occupants in the living room jumped up jerking them out of their thoughts.  
  
Someone's at the door! I'll go get it, Soujiro overenthusiastically volunteered. He clenched his legs together waddling out the room as quickly as possible avoiding any frontal views from Yuki.   
  
  
  
Breathlessly, he swung the door open wanting to throw himself at the feet of his savior. It didn't matter who it was, what they wanted, or why they came. The second he laid eyes on his visitor he could feel a huge lump get caught in his throat making breathing impossible.   
  
The very leggy and scantily clad woman pushed her way through the door draping her arms around his neck. She leaned in closer to pushing on leg between his. A knowing smirk spread across her face. It seems like you were all ready for me.  
  
Brushing her aside, Soujiro straightened out his disheveled appearance. What are you doing here?  
  
Well, I thought I might surprise you. It's been awhile, Jiro. You never minded before when I used to drop by. She formed her mouth into a tiny pout. She pulled him into her arms wrapping him into her tight hold. She nibbled on his ear while placing his hand in just the right places up her skirt. Looks, like you got yourself into a little trouble. She raised a hand to the cuts and bruises on his face. I know just the thing to make you feel all better.  
  
In surprise, Soujiro backed up against the wall finding him pinned against the wall by the temptress. God, did he want her bad right now. Although he was enjoying the feel of her breast weighed in one hand and the other trailing up her skirt, his mind briefly alerted him of his other houseguest. He pulled his wandering hand away and placed it on her lips whispering, One minute.  
  
He ushered Keiko into the kitchen making her promise to wait for him while he took care of some business. Running his hands through his tousled hair and making a quick stop in front of the mirror to wipe away any traces of lipstick on his face or neck, he calmly walked into the living room. He picked up her purse carelessly thrown onto one of the chairs and handed it towards her. Sorry, Yuki, but someone just came by to visit. It's been fun hanging out like this. We should do this more often.  
  
Yuki watched in shock as her bag was thrust into her arms and she was very rudely pushed towards the front door. Barely giving her a chance to put on her shoes, she glared at Soujiro wondering about his sudden change in attitude. I didn't get a chance to kick your ass at Grand Theft Auto yet.  
  
Yeah, yeah, yeah, he nervously repeated revealing his haste in making her vacate the premises. He lunged underneath the TV yanking out wires and plugs. He shoved the playstation 2 into her arms and opened the front door. You can borrow that to practice. I'll see you tomorrow!  
  
a sultry voice called out form the kitchen. What's taking so long? Keiko stepped out of the kitchen and possessively hooked one arm around Soujiro. She stared down at Yuki eyeing her with an utter disdain and suspicion. Who's this? I never knew you had a little sister. She's so cute.  
  
I am not his sister, Yuki spit out flatly.  
  
Soujiro stepped into the middle of the women's stand off interrupting the rising tension between them. He clapped his hands together and put some distance between the two catty women. Yuki's a friend of mine. She was just about to leave. He put an extra emphasis on and pushed Yuki out the door.   
  
She stood dumb struck outside with her mouth open trying to find the words to say. For some strange reason, she appeared to have completely lost her voice. She stood in horror as Soujiro leaned down giving her a chaste peck on the forehead and a pat on the head.   
  
Thanks for coming by and taking care of me today. I'll see you at work tomorrow. You're the best, Yuki. I know you understand me more than anybody. With that said, he closed the door on her, but not before giving her a thumbs up sign and nodding his head towards bed companion fro the night.   
  
Yuki stood outside his door staring at the ugly green door wondering what the hell just happened. Her mind was racked with questions that for the moment she didn't have a clue as to the answers, let alone where to find them. She propped her head up on her chin while sitting on his stoop staring out at the empty black streets in front of her. In front of the house was parked what appeared a sleek, black Mercedes. From outside, she could hear the faint whispers form indoors.   
  
Who was that girl anyway? I didn't think you were the type to be a pedophile, Jiro. Keiko's annoyingly high-pitched voice leaked through the front door hitting Yuki like a slap in the face. Perhaps I should leave and let you continue where you left off with your little pet.  
  
Don't be foolish. Yuki's just a friend. Actually she's more like a little sister to me than anything else. A man like myself needs a more experienced woman, not a little girl. Forget about her. I would prefer to exert my energy on other activities right now.   
  
she squealed as the sound of breaking glass lingered outside.   
  
Brokenhearted, Yuki picked herself off the ground brushing off any dirt on the bottom of her shorts. She looked down at herself in deep thought contemplating what she had that she didn't. As she started down the pathway, curiosity got he better of her and she turned around catching a glimpse of something that would haunt her for the next few weeks. They didn't even make it into the bedroom it seemed. There he was on top of her on the couch tearing away her clothes with his teeth like a starving man. The urge to retch all over his front lawn was becoming more and more appealing by the minute. She clutched the playstation in her arms considering sending it flying through the glass windows into Soujiro's head. She slung the console under one arm and flipped him the bird through the window muttering profanities to towards Soujiro. To her shock and utter humiliation, he chose that moment to look up from his ministrations. His eyes widened realizing he had forgotten to close the blinds. Leaving Keiko with her legs still up in the air, he jumped over to the window pulling the blinds closed.   
  
Little sister, my ass! I'll show you little sister you heartless, oblivious, self-centered piece of shit bastard! What does she have that I don't have? Excuse me, if I choose not to go out and get myself a pair of fake boobs and shoot my face up with botox to hide my ugly ass wrinkles. The second little miss late night fuck comes over you going running with your dick hanging out of your pants. Well, you know what?! I don't need you! You fucking need me! You'll kick her out tomorrow like the morning trash and waltz your way over to my place pretending like what you did didn't hurt me at all. Well, guess what?! I'm not taking your shit anymore. I've waited long enough for you to notice me. I'm tried of being ignored.   
  
Yuki stalked across the street towards her house lost in her own whirlwind of frustration and rage. She was pissed, more like beyond pissed. She practically kicked the door in followed by the toss of the playstation onto the kitchen table. Slamming her bedroom door behind her, she flopped onto her bed and screamed into her pillow stifling her cries of anguish.   
  
For all I care, Nishikado Soujiro can go to hell!  
  
--------------------------------------   
  
I'm falling. It's all a matter of waiting for that moment, that moment where you smash face first into the bottom of the pit of despair you've dug for yourself. Do I care? Not really. I've let myself become consumed by my own grief and thirst for vengeance. I've sold my soul for one brief moment of carnal satisfaction. Would I do it again? Hell, yes.  
  
Akira pushed the door open while pulling out his keys signaling his return with the clanging of his keys scraping against the lock. His heart fell at he sight of Sakurako sprawled out on the couch facing the door, probably awaiting his return. The overly enthusiastic and from one of those infomercials promising a miraculous solution in the fight for perfect abs blared from the television screen. Flashes of light were sent in all direction against the walls illuminating the darkened room with a dim glow. Despite his desire to head straight for his bed and pass out, he opted to play caretaker to the small curled up girl. He noticed her body trembling from the cool air blasting from the air conditioning, although he, himself was enjoying the change of temperature with his silk shirt clinging his every muscle saturated with sweat. The knowledge of the danger of leaving her in the cold room any longer without any proper cover, prompted him to remove her from the room in exchange for the comfort of her own bed. Gently, he slipped his arms underneath her body lifting her like a limp rag doll and maneuvered himself towards her open bedroom.  
  
She stirred in his arms and her eyes fluttered slightly open trying to focus herself to her current orientation. she barely whispered. She struggled to open her heavy sleep laden eyes to focus on the man carrying her.  
  
Shh. Go back to sleep, he coaxed in a soothing tone.   
  
In response, she buried her face deeper into his shoulder mumbling incoherencies. He could only chuckle at how childlike and innocent she could appear when left in her weakest form. While juggling her weight on one arm and using the other to pull back the comforters. He lowered her down onto the bed tucking her in for the night. He unhooked her arm from his neck and gently laid it over her chest, which rose and fell with each deep breath she took. A wisp of hair fell over her face causing her eyes to flutter under the pressure. Akira swept the annoyance away and left a chaste kiss on her forehead upon seeing the calm spread across her face.   
  
He stepped back into the living room surveying the room absorbing his surroundings. Things just didn't seem right. For the past week, nothing seemed familiar anymore. Then, again when things like this happened everything looked skewed to him. Akira's life was hard to explain. It would take a class to understand the workings of his inner mind, Akira 101. To best sum it up, he lived for today and not for tomorrow, carpe diem and all that good stuff. Life was all a matter of excesses. Wasn't it obvious? His odd attachment to his car like it was his lover, his penchant for only the best designer clothes, and the fact that he glorified the only women he shouldn't have had -married ones. They were all dispensable in a moments notice to be replaced by something flashier and more mind numbingly exquisite. In a way, he was exhibiting a fear of being caught with his guard down. It was all a matter of pick up and run when things got uncomfortable for him passing it off as his own waning interest when in reality it was his fear of other losing interest in him, He built up these walls carrying on with his coveted pretenses allowing the world to see what he wanted to see. However, most would argue that is what society is all about, appearances. That was his greatest strength, and at the same time, would be his impending downfall. Honestly, his entire persona was one big fat defense mechanism, one he had highly acquainted himself with at that.  
  
The stench of sweat and grass lingered on his clothing making crinkle his nose in disgust. Spending the afternoon mulling about a cemetery in sweltering heat wasn't exactly the best idea. Everyday he found himself in the same place, searching for answers, something to make him feel whole again. He probably would have stayed longer if the groundskeeper had not asked him to leave for the night to lock up. Reluctantly, he obliged to the simple request leaving the place of eternal rest more muddle headed than before. All in all it was quite a fulfilling day His footsteps echoed through the apartment as he padded towards the bathroom. The flickering light set off all his senses making him more acutely aware of his apparent disarray. Despite Sakurako's protests, he chose to ignore her and go off on his own to deal with his inner demons. He did what he always did when circumstances like this arose.   
  
God, I was wondering what that smell was, he muttered to himself as he peeled off his clothing. Splashing some water on his face he looked up at his reflection seeing an unrecognizable face staring back at him. Cool droplets of water dripped from his eyelids down his chin and into the sink cleansing his face from any remnants of dirt and grime caked onto his face.   
  
He stepped into the shower letting the icy pellets of water strike his body firmly holding his ground refusing to shy away from the pain. He braced his hand against the tiled bending his head down staring at the swirl of water spiraling down the drain. At first the water was stained a light brownish maroon color from the intermingling of dried blood and dirt washing off his body. The longer he stood there staring at the water, the more the water cleared up becoming a crystal clear color. It was the only solace he could vaguely grasp finding himself clean, purified from his sins. Somewhere in the midst of the cold liquid needles pricking his skin, a small trickle of his own salty tears streaked his face falling into the spiraling pool of his crimes disappearing into oblivion.  
  
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Tsukasa woke up for the fifth time that night kicking off the sheets around him. The weather was driving him insane that night. It had already been a long night of hearing Tsukushi bitch and moan about his inept bartending skills, as well as her relentless barrage of insults over all the drinks he spilled when serving. She was ruthless ever since that face off with Shizuka the week before. Without Akira there to back him up and Soujiro being preoccupied with his own work, he was left defenseless from the mad woman's insane mood swings. One moment she's perfectly fine, the next she's off the deep end. His patience was wearing thin. The world was one raging inferno that night only fanning the growing irritation and anger rising in him. He tried his best to restrain himself from lashing out on her. He needed the money. He needed the place to live. It was the only thing he rationalized as a reason to stay, but now those reasons didn't seem to hold much weight on his desire to remain anymore.   
  
Only donning a pair of boxers, he considered stripping off the last shred of clothing on his body for an au natural look. He sat up in his bed looking out into the darkness wondering why the room was filled with an ungodly humidity. He stood up onto the bed reaching his hand for the vent near the ceiling checking for any air coming from the central air system wondering if anything was coming out of it. There wasn't even a tiny whisper of air coming from the thing. His mind and body were beginning to suffocate in the stifling heat swarming around him wrapping him in a muggy cloak. It was becoming unbearable to breathe. A lapse of impending insanity forced him towards the windows thrusting each one open like a mad man releasing the warm recycled air that had settled within the room. Gasping for air, he threw his face out into the night air taking deep breaths trying to calm the erratic palpitations of his heart. However, something caught him off guard. He quizzically cocked his head to the side realizing that from his bedroom window he could terrace extending out from the window. That wasn't the only thing that struck him. Maybe it was the full moon or the inexplicable hot weather, whatever it was he found his full attention focused on the back of the lone figure leaning out against the railing. His breath caught on the back of his throat.   
  
Tsukushi dropped the phone back onto its receiver after having a rather lengthy conversation with eh building superintendent as to why they were trying to bake its residents alive in the middle of the night. She had awoken in a tangle of her own sheets sweating profusely while cursing under her breath. Apparently she wasn't the only one who awoke in that state, since it took her a good fifteen minutes before she could get her call through to the building manager. Somewhere in the middle of the night, a power surge occurred blowing out the generator in the building thus debilitating the building's central air system and knocking out all electricity. With the large influx of people using air conditioning all over the city that night it would take them a few hours or probably the next morning to get their power back on.   
  
She rolled off the bed and quietly snuck out of her bedroom not daring to make a sound. The idea of Kaya waking up in and having to spend the rest of the night entertaining a crank, sweaty four year old was the last thing on her mind at the moment. Either way there was no way she was going to be able to go back to sleep now, so she decided to occupy herself with cooling herself down. There would be only a few more hours before daylight. Quietly, she slinked out of her bedroom and headed for the kitchen. Upon opening the door, the last fragments of cold blew out at her. She scowled at the thought of all her milk and other perishables spoiling in an hour. That would require a second trip for groceries that week. Grabbing a cold bottle of water, she gulped downed it's contents greedily letting a few stray droplets slide down her chin to her neck. The relief from her discomfort was short-lived, though. She glanced around the room deciding the only way to release some of the building heat in the apartment would be to open up every window. She raced over to the terrace and flung the two French doors open letting a slight breeze into the room, which sent the transparent curtains dancing in the air. Childishly she ran towards the railing lifting herself up by her arms and closing her eyes feeling the mildly warm breeze envelop her. The wind caressed her bare skin underneath her peach silk nightgown. Her long pale legs peeked out from underneath the short hem while her arms were completely naked exposed for the world to see her in all her feminine glory. Normally she wouldn't have chosen that rather provocative article of clothing, but with the rising temperature and the touch of the smooth, cool silk on her fingertips the urge to wear it was irresistible. It had been tucked away in one of her drawers for so long she had almost forgotten about the gift from Yuki and Sakurako. After the hectic week she had been put through, she wanted for once to feel sexy, to look like something that would drive a man wild, to be a woman and not a dowdy mother. Her long, soft hair billowed behind her like streamers. A girlish giggle bubbled within her as she began to twirl around the terrace waltzing with an imaginary partner to her own music. With each twirl and dip her hair would cascade across her face. In a dizzy heap she fell onto one of the deck chairs gasping for air.   
  
  
  
Tsukushi was jerked out of her moment of recklessness. I spoke too soon, she grumbled to herself. Lifting herself form her comfortable position, she trudged back into the warm apartment. When she opened the door, she was greeted than by none other than her very bleary eyed daughter wailing at the top of her lungs. She lifted her out of the bed whispering soothing words into her ear and carried her out onto the terrace.   
  
I'm hot and sticky, Mama, Kaya whined. Her eyes had become puffy and red from her crying. The stench of salty tears lingered on her.   
  
Sorry, sweetie. The air conditioning is broken.  
  
Her only response was another sniffle. She buried her face in her mother's chest rubbing her tears and runny nose against the warm chest. All Tsukushi could hear was some garbled whines from her daughter about the heat and her inability to go back to sleep. She was falling into one of her whiny tantrums.   
  
I know something that will make you feel better. She laid the little girl onto the long deck chair on the terrace and ran back into the kitchen. She looked down at her soiled nightgown wondering what kind of man would find her vaguely appealing right now. It was pretty much a lost case. Tsukushi walked back out holding a cool glass of water and tipped the glass into the little girl's lips forcing her to swallow her tears back while drinking. Gently she wiped the remaining drops from her eyes and picked her up propping her up against her chest. Tsukushi shifted under the trembling form on top of her trying to calm her choked sobs. Go to sleep, baby.  
  
Kaya only gripped onto her mother tighter for dear life. Herr body slowly cooled off as she lay outside in the night air.   
  
Tsukushi stared up at darkened sky letting the moonlight fall on her face. From the floor they were on, she could see out into the distance the faint lights of the city lighting up the sky. They were too close to the city to see nay real stars, but the faint flicker of the neon signs and building lights almost made it seem like they were real stars. She continued to stroke Kaya's head lost in her own thoughts. The melodic words dripped out of her mouth in barely a whisper being carried away in the wind.  
  
_When somebody loved me,  
Everything was beautiful  
Every hour we spent together lives within my heart  
And when he was sad,  
I was there to dry his tears  
And when he was happy,  
So was I  
When he loved me  
  
Through the summer and the fall  
We had each other, that was all  
Just he and I together,  
Like it was meant to be  
  
And when he was lonely,  
I was there to comfort him  
And I knew that he loved me  
  
So the years went by  
I stayed the same  
But he began to drift away  
I was left alone  
Still I waited for the day  
When he'd say I will always love you  
  
Lonely and forgotten,  
I'd never thought he'd look my way  
And he smiled at me and held me just like he used to do  
Like he loved me  
When he loved me.  
  
_Kaya's breathing steadied. Tsukushi placed a hand over Kaya's chest feeling the slow rise and fall. She was asleep. Half asleep and half awake, Tsukushi looked up to the heaven's above saying a silent prayer to herself before letting her heavy eyelids fall.   
  
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Rui laid back on his bed staring up at the ceiling pondering over random thoughts, but not really anything in specific. He was tired form al the fighting. It had been a long week trying to keep the two women in his life away from each other. That was the predicament he had found himself in. One was the mother of his child and the other the love of his life. He was a man in hell.   
  
What are you thinking about?  
  
Nothing much.  
  
Sometimes I really wonder if you are serious about nothing important going on in that pretty little head of yours, Shizuka laughed as she propped her head up on one hand staring intently at Rui beside her. You always have such a serious face like this. She relaxed the muscles in her face letting her mouth settling into a frown that almost resembled a scowl.  
  
I do not look like that, he pouted. He turned resting his head on the pillow. Do I really? he lightly laughed letting a small smile escape him.   
  
I love it when you do that.  
  
Do what?  
  
Smile. You should do that more often.  
  
What? You want me to be a grinning idiot? he laughed once again.  
  
She placed a finger on her lips. That would be interesting. Hanazawa Rui the grinning idiot, instead of Hanazawa Rui the stone faced block of ice.  
  
Block of ice? I always thought of myself nor being frigid, more like being cool perhaps. I'm not always indifferent. Can't a man have some quiet alone time?  
  
She snuggled into his bare chest underneath the sheets. Skin met skin, sending shivers up and down her spine. You'll always be my Rui. Promise me that.  
  
I'll always be yours, as you will always be mine.  
  
Good. I would have it no other way. She waved her hand in front of her face smiling contently watching the glimmer shining off of the diamond on her finger. I was thinking that with this insane weather maybe we could go away to the beach for awhile. I would love for Kaya to come along. Since she'll be on summer break in a little while. Maybe I could learn a little more about her. It's so rare that I get to see her.   
  
I don't know, he sighed. It's rare that Tsukushi lets me have her overnight. I already can see her face freaking out at the thought of us taking Kaya away for a few days. Maybe now isn't a good time to approach her about something like that. Look at the week we've been having.   
  
That's bullshit. You're her fucking father. You don't need permission to see your own goddamn daughter. You've got to stand up to her one day or she'll take her away form you forever. As long as you obey her ridiculous commands, she'll always have this hold on us. You have to understand. I love you and I hate the way she denies you of your own daughter. I love Kaya just as much. I want you to have the chance to experience what a real family is supposed to be. Shizuka rolled over onto her side trying to hide the tears threatening to spill from her eyes.   
  
I'll talk to her. Rui reached a comforting hand over her shoulder.  
  
She turned back to him and buried her face into his chest breathing in his scent.   
  
Soon. Soon, we'll tell them all.  
  
I just don't want to hide our relationship anymore. If we are going to do this, we have to do this right. No regrets, no sneaking around. We do it publicly.  
  
I know. I do too, but in order for any of this to work we need to come to some compromise. I can't have you and Tsukushi biting each other's heads off like that every time. It's not a healthy environment for Kaya. She is what matters most in all this.  
  
I agree, but  
  
No buts. I saw the way you provoked Tsukushi with singing. That was a low blow.  
  
I wasn't trying to be petty. I really wasn't. It's just when she started throwing Susumu in my face I couldn't help it. No matter how many times I try to explain myself it always comes out with me being the villain. She acts like she's the only one who lost him?  
  
We all miss him. Rui pulled Shizuka's trembling body closer to his rubbing her back to calm her down. Do remember the first day we met?  
  
How could I not?   
  
I couldn't believe the luck I had to live so close to a real angel. I still remember your hair in those pigtails swaying back and forth as you ran up to the door wearing a light pink sundress. I fell in love with you that day.  
  
You were five, she snorted.  
  
Love knows no age.  
  
I would have guessed otherwise. You barely spoke more than a few words to me when I met you. If it weren't for me dragging you out of the house, you probably would have never seen daylight. I always wondered what you would look like with a tan. Always the pasty one.  
  
Hey! I'm not pasty. It's just he fact that I take good care of my skin. I don't enjoy the burnt look, ok.  
  
I remember the first time I saw how really pale you were. Every part of you was porcelain white.   
  
How could I forget?! It was our school trip to the beach. You thought it would be funny to pull down my swim trunks in the middle of the beach. I couldn't live it down for days. When I went back to school all the kids wouldn't stop teasing me.  
  
I wanted to see what I could get out of you. Hey, I remember you yelling a few choice words that I thought would never come out of your mouth. That's the first time I ever saw you pissed.  
  
Damn straight I was. Now that you mention that, I'm still mad at you for doing that to me.  
  
Aw. Come on. It was a long time ago. It's not like you had a lot to show the world. You were only eight at the time.  
  
Excuse me, but I think I was quite well endowed for a boy my age. How was I to know you were such a perv trying to sneak a peek at the goods?  
  
She playfully slapped him in a face with a pillow. It's too hot in here. I think I need to take a shower to cool off. Shizuka slinked out of bed letting the soft sheets drape across her bare body as she drifted away form the bed towards the bathroom. The soft click of the door closing followed by the sound of running water echoed through the still loft.  
  
In the confines of the bathroom, Shizuka sat down on front of her vanity inspecting her face. Fine lines were beginning to form around her, a twisted sign of her growing years. She was waging a war with time now. Finally having reached her twenty seventh year of her life, she was reaching the peak of her youth. It was the time when most of her girlfriends were slowly dissipating into the doldrums of married life, children, and just plain settling. That was exactly the life she had refused to bind herself to. She turned the platinum band around her finger watching the diamond twinkle under the glow of the fluorescent lights. Carefully slipping it off she placed the ring into her jewelry box for safe keeping; however, instead of closing the lid she fingers a small part of the velvet lignin where only the sharpest of eyes could see the tiny tear in the fabric. She dug her nail into the small opening tugging at something edged into the small hidden compartment. After securing it in her fingertips she pulled out the small silver circle. It was nothing short of elegant and tasteful with the small diamonds imbedded onto the sides in a weaving pattern. She twirled the small ring around her fingers holding it up into the light. From the inside she could still see the faint words inscribed inside, All my love-Susumu. A single tear fell down her cheek as the words registered in her head.   
  
I still remember the day you gave this to me Susumu. You gave me your heart, and in turn a piece of my soul. That day I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. I would have done anything for you, for us. I really did love you? You know that, right? You came into my life bringing with you promises of great things to come. We we're going to make out dreams come true together. You were the only one who understood me, my hopes, my deepest desires. I wasn't about to become another one of those simpering housewives wondering what my life would have, could have, should have been. I don't know what happened. We were growing farther and farther apart each day. You became obsessed with Last Resort and I with my career. All we were holding onto was the bond we shared in the pursuit of for our dreams. We were never the same after what happened. We both screwed up. I was insecure, telling myself that as long as we had this we would be fine. I realized you didn't need me as much as I needed you. I knew you would always undoubtedly love me, but was you heart always in it? Then there was Rui, my Rui. The boy you had taken under your wing to make into a man. In a way, you molded him into a vague replica of yourself. Somewhere along the way, he filled the emptiness that you left in your wake. Maybe deep down I held unrequited feelings for Rui that I will never forgive myself for betraying you with. I don't know. All I know is I loved you. I did love you once.   
  
She quietly slipped the ring back into its hiding place closing the lid with a snap of the case. She stared back at the face in front of her wondering where had things gone so terribly wrong. Was she really such a monster every one made her out to be? The heart knows no right or wrong. It only knows to love. That is what she had done if not two men at that. And for that she would pay for her crimes. Shizuka shoved her dark thoughts aside and stepped under the warm spray of water shooting from the shower. The cool liquid dripped off her body washing away all the doubt. For now, she had won.   
  
Rui closed his eyes letting his other senses take over for the moment. The temperatures outside were still rising making him more lethargic in the frigid air-conditioning. He smiled to himself upon hearing the faint echo of Shizuka's voice coming from the bathroom. She really did have beautiful voice, yet to be exposed to the world. She could really go somewhere with her voice and talent. He listened more closely absorbing every note, every word that floated across the room to him. His eyes flew open for a moment remembering where he had heard that song before. It was so familiar, yet he couldn't place it until now. There would only be one person who could sing that song the way he wanted it to be, with the passion it needed. It was her song, the one that had for a time captured his heart easing away all the pain and loneliness that had filled his heart most of his life. He barely whispered her name,   
  
You were the only one who could ever compare to her. Both were so alike, yet so different at the same time. What is it that you saw in me? You were one of the few people that gave damn about me. I wouldn't let myself see how much you cared, but I knew it. I remember the first time your cheeks flushed that rosy tint, the blush you only got around me. I was selfish for wanting to have you to myself. I knew all along I loved her more than anyone else in this world, I loved her since I was a boy. She knew every part of me more than I knew myself, but she was taken. Then there was you, so alike yet not the same. I never saw you as her replacement. I did love you once. I don't deny that fact. We both knew from the beginning that there was someone else for me out there. I should have told you it was her. I denied my feelings for you. For a short time, my heart truly was all yours. I wish I could tell you that I love you. I love you so much it hurts that I can't love you the way you want me to. Does this make any sense? You won't let me love you the only way I can offer. All I have left of you now is the memory of your voice imbedded in my mind. I might never say it aloud, but no one could ever compare to you, your voice, your song. I want you to move on. I want you to live again. Most of all, I want you to sing.   
  
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Sakurako's eyes fluttered open to the sound of the shower running in the bathroom. She sat up wondering how she had managed to get from the couch to her own bed without knowing it. The faint memory of Akira carrying her in his warm arms lingered in her mind. She sleepily rubbed her eyes trying to focus on his blurry figure emerging from the bathroom with his hair still damp and plastered to his head.   
  
she shakily called out to him.   
  
The hunched figure tentatively stepped into her doorway hesitating to walk into the room. It's late Sakurako.  
  
Come here, she ordered patting the side of her bed. She moved over a little and lifted the blankets up making room for him.  
  
Emotionally and physically worn he obediently complied settling himself beside her. His heavy body shifted the balance of weight on the mattress causing her to slide over to his side. Like a lost child he wrapped his arms around her waist clinging onto her for dear life like a frightened child. He buried his face into her side sighing heavily. I'm tired.'  
  
I know. She looked down at his face and brushed aside some of his unruly hair. He seemed so lost and confused. At that moment, her cold exterior left her. Her heart cried out for him.  
  
I don't know what it is that you are exactly looking for, Akira. Perhaps, it is the same intangible thing all of us have been searching for. I'm afraid to tell you it might be impossible to find. I know why you brought me here, why you saved me. You thought you could ease your guilt by saving me, your surrogate sister. I always wondered why you had chosen me. Was it because I reminded you of Aya? I'm sorry I could never be her. You and are the most alike. We understand one another like no one else. We've lost the ones we loved, and had the rest betray us all our lives. It wasn't always like this, though. That emptiness inside didn't just magically appear out of anywhere. We loved too much and that was our downfall. We'll hide our true selves always looking for that one thing we can never fully achieve.   
  
She lightly fingered the small locket that hung around her neck. It was the only thing she had left of him, before they ripped him away from her forever. It was the source of all her anger and all her joy in the sick, cruel world they lived in. It was what gave her hope to live.  
  
You had to ruin everything I believed in. It was no longer a matter of just looking out for myself. The moment I knew of you I loved you, even though every part of my body was telling me not to. I would have done anything for you. I would have turned it all around for you. I cleaned up my act for you. It was always for you, my heart. I never thought I could ever love anything as much as I loved you. I didn't even really know you that well. I barely even saw your face. That bastard had to take you away from me. He ripped you out of my arms. I would have never hurt you, but he thought otherwise. The only reason I continue to breathe, to live is for you. It's you, my baby boy.  
  
The locket around her neck falling against her heart cracked open for a brief moment exposing her secret. It was her child. The child that would never know its mother, and the mother that would never know the child. All she had was a picture, a temporary frozen moment in his life. No matter how much she played off her alter ego, the wanton brazen woman, she would always hide hr true self. She was a mother.   
  
Sakurako?  
  
  
  
When will it ever feel right again? I just want it to be the way it used to be. I want to be whole again.  
  
So do I.  
-------------------------------------   
  
Tsukasa pulled himself away from the window after becoming absorbed in the sadness in Tsukushi's voice. There were no words to describe the kind of feelings he evoked in him. She was able to tame the savage beast within him. It was nothing like any of the other girls. Her emotions were so clear and sincere in the music. He couldn't help but feel guilty at invading her privacy. It was apparent that she hid her voice from the world for some reason. But why? It was a shame to do so. It wasn't love or anything he felt for her, but more of a curiosity. He wanted to understand her.  
  
He trudged over to his bed suddenly feeling the world become hazy. As he fell onto the bed, he drifted off into darkness grasping onto that image of her dancing in the moonlight. The sound of her voice imprinted in his mind lulled him to fall into a deep slumber.   
  
  
  
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Ramblings: My mind was really in the gutter with the beginning of this chapter. I've been debating recently with what I have planned in the future for our lovely characters. I don't really know how to approach the idea of a future lemon scene. It won't come in for a looong time, but I was just wondering how people would feel about one. In my opinion, I'm okay if it's a little graphic, but in a tasteful sense stemming from a nice buildup to that point. I dunno. Well this vague chapter will have to last you all for a coupla weeks. I've got exams coming up, but I'll try to squeeze some writing time in here and there. Oh yeah, the song I used with a few of the words changed was When She Loved Me from the movie Toy Story 2. I'm such a sap. I always cry when I hear that song for some odd reason. As always, I do enjoy a good review. Ja!   
  
  



	8. Revolution

Disclaimer: Same as always.  
  
  
  
Chapter 8: Revolution   
  
  
  
  
  
Tsukushi shifted in the chair after a swift punch in the face. A wake up call like that quickly aroused her from her peaceful slumber. Every muscles and bone in her body was screaming in pain from the odd position she had fallen asleep in. Kaya's body was strewn across her own weighing heavily down on her chest. One arm was flung up hitting Tsukushi on the face while another dropped over the side of the chair. Her tiny body nestled closely between her mother's legs preventing her from completely falling off the chair.   
  
  
  
Kaya's sleepy head lolled to one side opening a tiny crack through bleary eyes. An unintelligible slur of words followed soon after involving purple cats and orange dogs.   
  
Tsukushi gently nudged the sleeping child in what seemed like a futile attempt to awaken her. Come on, Kaya. It's time to wake up.   
  
Hey, that's my crayon, Kaya mumbled as she flung an arm behind her almost smacking Tsukushi in the forehead.  
  
Tsukushi attempted to swing one leg onto the ground, but was sadly met with the realization that both legs had somehow fallen asleep. A tingling sensation coursed from her hips to her toes rendering her lower half paralyzed at the moment. she sighed to herself. How am I going to get up now? Lazily she turned her head around to take a peek at the clock on the wall. All color drained from her face. A slew of curses flew out of her mouth that would have made a trucker blush. With brute force she plucked Kaya off of her placing her onto her feet before swinging herself off of the chair.   
  
Kaya whimpered trying to orient herself in her surroundings. Her face scrunched up holding back the tears threatening to fall. A small shrill shriek rose in her throat going into a full blown wail.   
  
Tsukushi threw her arms up in the air in defeat trying to think quickly. As would be expected, Kaya was cranky from being forcefully awakened. Lack of sleep and inhumane heat was a bad combination for a four year old. She rubbed her temples attempting to focus on the task at hand.   
  
We don't have time for this right now, she grumbled as she threw Kaya kicking and screaming over her shoulder.   
  
Tsukasa rolled over in bed grumbling over the racket going on outside his room. He could hear the faint sound of water running, wailing, a string of cursing and a loud thud. What the hell was that? he moaned as he pulled himself out of bed and trudged out into the hallway. Barely awake, he didn't even notice the blur that rammed him over like a steamroller. Limbs flailed, careless expletives screamed, and two masses collided into a tangle of arms, legs, and hair.   
  
What the fuck?! Tsukushi screamed as she peered through the waves of hair brushing against her face blocking her view of whatever it was she ran into. She flipped her mass of tangled hair out of her face finding herself staring at something oddly muscular and soft. Her body was pinned to the ground underneath this mass' warmth. Slowly her eyes moved from the bare chiseled chest up to a pair of stormy brown eyes muddled in confusion.   
  
You could watch where you're going, he growled rubbing the sore spot on his head that had knocked into the hard wooden floor at impact. Somehow he had taken the grunt of the fall tumbling down on underneath Tsukushi's body and then careening into the wall rolling the huddled mass over.   
  
Get the hell off of me! Tsukushi struggled beneath him shoving her hands against his chest trying to throw the heavy weight off of herself.  
  
Just give me a second!  
  
Get off now!  
  
He attempted to prop himself up with his hands ending up in a hovering position over her. However, somewhere in the middle he slipped in the struggled between her pushing and his own pulling of his body up. Tsukasa fell with another thud on top of her and rather oddly at that. Goddamnit, I told you to just give me a second to get up! Underneath him he could feel the muffled screams coming out of her mouth against his chest tickling him. Not quite realizing the severity of the situation, he lingered a little longer than necessary to raise himself off of her. He clenched one of his hands tighter trying to get some sort of support, but felt something fleshy and warm sheathed by a soft silky material underneath his hand. His eyes narrowed down taking in the sight beneath him. She lay scantily clad in her thin nightgown that had now risen up past her thigh, her chest rising and falling with each heavy labored breath she took, and his hand so conveniently having found itself over her right breast. His face turned a few shades red settling into a hot flush. He winced when he felt tiny needlelike pricks in his shoulder. He could feel something warm trickle down his skin. Instantly he shot up off the ground putting a hand over his shoulder. He pulled his hand away noticing a smear of blood on his palm. You bit me!  
  
Tsukushi sprung to her feet panting heavily like a wild animal sweeping her wayward hair from her face. In an innate action of self-defense a fist was lodged into his face within seconds sending Tsukasa careening back into his bedroom falling onto the floor. Not seeing her sudden act of violence enough punishment for her own bodily defilement she lunged into the room swiftly kicking him in the lower region forcing him to curl up into a fetal position shuddering on the ground. Touch me again and be sure you'll be singing soprano the rest of your life!  
  
Shuddering in pain, Tsukasa closed his eyes listening for the merciful slam of the door. He grappled onto the side of the bed lifting himself up onto it. He rolled over closing his eyes wishing he had never woken up that morning. He lifted a hand to his eye feeling the slight throbbing sensation of the bruise forming over his eye. Yeah, it was just another one of those days.   
  
Kaya sulked in the kitchen clutching her book bag as she watched from the corner of her eye the interaction between her mother and their tenant. She curiously watched as her mother rammed into him at full speed cramming random papers and books into her bookbag. She looked up one second too late and slammed into Tsukasa knocking them both onto the ground. Then for no apparent reason her mother had some sort of freak out punching him in the face calling him a pervert. The argument ensued into the bedroom where she something similar to a woman's scream and the slam of a door. A few second later her mother was racing into her bedroom and out fully dressed in a pair loose linen pants and a tank top. She noticed the slight tinge of red on her mother's cheeks noting that was the same look she got when she got when she was pissed about something. Deciding not to bother even asking, she shrugged her shoulders and continued to remain mute in her own pouting state.   
  
Grown ups can be really weird.  
  
Let's go, Kaya! We have no time to stop for breakfast. What do we have here? Tsukushi flung open the cupboards in search of something that would make an adequate breakfast, but found only a few canned goods and some cereal.   
  
Damn. It looks like I need to make another trip to the supermarket. I really should have charged Tsukasa more. He's eating me out of house and home.  
  
She pushed the cereal boxes aside and noticed a small box tucked in the back somewhere. Well it's better than nothing. She grabbed two tin foil wrapped packets from the box and ripped them open with her teeth spitting out the metal in her mouth. She plucked a pop tart out and shoved one in Kaya's mouth before she could protest. Grabbing her hand and dragging her out the door they ran down to the parking garage.   
  
Tsukasa listened for the slam of the front door before pulling himself out of the bed. He stared down at the faint trail of blood staining his pristine white sheets. He stomped towards the bathroom looking for some sort of antiseptic to put on his open cut. He let out a sharp hiss at the sting of iodine being slapped onto his shoulder. Patting the area dry he taped on the bandage and grabbed a fresh shirt carelessly thrown over a chair. Grumbling he made his way out into the kitchen to find nothing of edible quality in the fridge or cupboards. A few quick tousles of his hair and he was out the door ready to kill the next person that dares to get in his way.   
  
------------------------------------   
  
Soujiro happily whistled to himself as he crossed the street towards Yuki's house. Last night had been one hell of a wild night for him, and being fully sexually satiated he had awoken hungry for something else. He came to a halt in front of her doorstep noting the fact that there were no sounds of the morning news nor delicious smells wafting out from the window. Actually there wasn't even the smell of something being baked in the oven. Knocking lightly he was greeted with nothing more than silence.  
  
That's weird. Where could she be? She normally doesn't leave the house early in the morning. I don't think she could still be mad about last night, could she?  
  
He sighed in resignation knowing that his stupid libido had cost him probably a week's worth of free breakfasts. His foot swept against the door in swift kick, and he spun around to head in search of other sources of food. God knows, if there was anything of nutritional value in his own house. Deciding it be best to head into the city for the nearest diner, he dug his hands into his pockets and pulled out his car keys. As jabbed the keys into the car he noticed a slip of paper stuck into the front windshield. What's this? He plucked it out thinking it was some sort of flyer, but the familiar handwriting stopped him before doing so.   
  
_Sorry, but the kitchen's closed this morning. I had some errands to run this morning. Don't worry, I'm not mad about last night. See you at the club later.  
  
-Yuki  
  
_I guess she's not mad at me after all, he mumbled to himself while crumpling up the note. He started up the car without a second thought and sped off on his quest for a good meal.  
  
--------------------------------------   
  
Although everything in Soujiro's world was right for now, it was quite a different story for Yuki. Call it a crush, call it an obsession, but Yuki had it bad for the club's infamous playboy and nothing, I mean, nothing was more humiliating than hearing him label her as nothing more than a sister. It was a downright slap in the face. Maybe it was the intense heat that seriously causing her to become delusional. Or perhaps she finally had that long awaited epiphany that to take what she wanted would require serious action. Whatever it was had lead to that morning. She was going to make some changes in her life.   
  
Yuki stood in front of her closet surveying the large array of clothing she had collected over the years. Working at the club had left her far from frugal when it came to her personal lifestyle. Although it was rather modest, she had room for minor luxuries here and there. She lived in a relatively safe neighborhood renting out a house across the street form Soujiro, one he had found for her after she first joined the family. Her style had always been simplistic. Why bother having your life tied up in strings attached and red tape?  
  
Today is the day. I'll show him little sister. It's time to brig out the new Yuki.   
  
She pulled out random hangars with a critical eye scrutinizing every last detail of the articles of clothing. Too pink! Hello Kitty? What the hell was I thinking?! Too frumpy. Too girly. Why is everything in here so goddamn pastel? Her hair hung over her face in tangled knots. She blew her bangs out of her face kicking at the pile of clothes on the ground. In one flail swoop she thrust the clothes into a box. She turned around snorting in disgust at the decorum of her bedroom. The bed was piled with stuffed animals. The tables were covered in lace and frills. Basically her room looked like something out of Martha Stewart's books. There was a lot more work to be done.   
  
Thud.  
  
What was that? she asked herself. Pulling back the curtains from her bedroom she peered towards the front of the house seeing a very frustrated Soujiro walking away. She grinned to herself staring intently at her target.   
  
Watch out Nishikado Soujiro. You may have finally met your match.  
  
-------------------------------------   
  
  
  
Tsukushi was halfway out the classroom door when she was pulled back in by the sound of her name being yelled by her professor. She lowered her bag from her shoulder and pressed through the crowd trying to fight the wave of excited students trying to get the hell out of the place. It was the last class for the semester and like the rest of the entire campus she wanted more than anything to run out screaming and throw her books into the huge bonfire that was already being set up in the middle of the campus chanting curses for every bad professor she had to endure for the last few months. Summer had officially arrived signaling three months of glorious freedom ahead for everyone.   
  
She trudged back up to the front of the lecture hall watching her balding middle-aged creative writing professor swipe the board with the chalk filled erasure. She waved a hand in disdain, wondering if the old coot knew that he was only accomplishing rubbing in more chalk into the board than taking any off. Yes, sir, she politely replied.   
  
The man stopped in mid swipe and threw the eraser down onto the ledge before turning around. He reached into his pocket pulling out handkerchief to wipe away the excessive amounts of dust on his hands. He cleared his throat with what sounded like a hacking cough before beginning to speak. What do you plan to do now that this class is completed?  
  
Shocked would be only a light way to express the look on her face. Here she was, staring at Professor Youkshiro, or as the other people in her class liked to refer to him as Youkshiro the anti-christ, asking her how she thought the class was. Her mouth slightly fell open into a gape, but she recovered herself quickly closing her mouth and trying to find the appropriate words to answer such an odd question. Well, I was planning to go to work.  
  
The old man pulled out his seat and settled himself comfortably in his chair with a grunt. He pulled out his old tattered briefcase form underneath the desk and slapped it onto the hard wood. He raised furry eyebrow giving her a look like she was a complete moron. I meant what do you plan on doing in the academic future after this class, Makino-san.  
  
She wanted to bang her head on the desk for making such a complete ass out of herself. In her defense, most students faced with a private conversation with a professor or older persons of authority probably would have choked on such a question too. Absentmindedly she tugged at a loose strand from her ponytail, and stared down at her shoes trying to hide the slow blush creeping up on her cheeks.   
  
Damnit! I'm 21 for gods sakes, I have a four year old daughter, I own my own business, and I get flustered by an old guy asking what I plan to do in the future.  
  
She stared down at her sneakers suddenly finding some sort of intense fascination with the way the Nike swoosh was designed on the flap. She swayed back and forth on her heels, a bad habit she had acquired since she was a little kid whenever she got nervous. Actually, sir, this is my last course I'll be taking here. I won't be returning next fall.  
  
He pulled out a stack of papers from his bag and slid them forward spreading them out for her to see.   
  
I don't understand, sir. Why do you have all of my papers for my classes this semester? Bewilderment was written all over her face.   
  
I obtained these from your other professors, actually. Do you realize that I've taught here for the last 40 years and you are only the second student that has actually evoked such interest?  
  
I'm flattered.  
  
Don't be. It's not meant to be a compliment. He shuffled the papers back into a neat pile and stacked them on the corner of the desk. Your grades these last two years have shown your capability to grasp your field of study. I was actually quite surprised by the find of such a dedicated student in the literature department. From your writing samples, you have shown the potential to go far in the field. Your assignments in my class have been exceptionally above average. What shocked me more was the fact that you've withdrawn from the university. I was just wondering why you would suddenly decide to waste your talent?  
  
It's for personal reasons I've decided to withdraw from school. I have been neglecting my daughter for the last two years with my work and school load. I've decided to withdraw and focus on my daughter.  
  
So, you are giving up the chance to be something great to be a little housewife? he scoffed.  
  
The old man was really getting on her nerves now. Anger pulsed through her veins at his audacity to pry into her personal life. She already knew she was a good student. She could do the work in her sleep if she wanted too, but here was this man demeaning her rationalization of needing to spend more time with her daughter. She bit back the words she wanted to say, and instead wisely chose a more dignified response. I'm sorry you see the basis of my choice to be so frivolous. If you excuse me, I'll be leaving so I can scurry home and bake some brownies.   
  
He glared at her noting the thick coating of sarcasm dripping from her every word. I did not intend for my words to convey such distaste. I apologize for wasting your time, but I just had to know why one of my best students was going to throw away her chances of being furthering her chances of success. You have a talent, something that probably every single person in this room, including myself, wish we had. You have the power of words. There is just something in the way you convey your thoughts into paper that is indescribable. There's just so much raw emotion, tension, grittiness. Although your skills may still be a little rough, with some further schooling you could go on to do so much more. I was hoping to speak to you today to make you reconsider leaving.  
  
Breathe in, breathe out. Don't lose it, girl. Just turn around and walk out. Walk away, Tsukushi. He's not worth the time to explain anything to. You don't need to explain your life to this man. He doesn't know one shit about your life.   
  
Enough was enough. She had held it in long enough and like all people, she had reached her breaking point. Listen old man, I've had enough of this little helpful lecture you've given me! I don't really care what you think. I know that in comparison to my other classmates and a few faculty here I could write circles around them. I started taking classes her as a side hobby of mine because I enjoyed reading and writing, but to hear form some stranger that my decision to give it up would be an abomination is enough! Let me lay it down for you how things in life really are since you don't seem to grasp half of what I've had to put up with here. I've had to raise a child on my own since I was seventeen while working nights to support us. On a whim I thought it would be fun to enroll as a fulltime student at the university; thus taking up much needed time I could have spent sleeping which is something I haven't done much of the last four years of my goddamn life! Now you have the gall to tell me that choosing to spend more time with my child is wasting my talent and that more school would better me?! You're fucking crazy. I know what makes a good writer and apparently you don't. A gift?! That's a joke. I'll tell you what my secret is. It's truth. I write what I know and what I know is the truth. Now you can take your university graduate diploma and shove it up your ass!  
  
From a distant corner of the room, she could make out the lone clapping of an individual standing echoing through the hall. She spun around seeing red at and picked up her papers throwing them into her bag. Like a tornado she tore out of the room knocking the clapping idiot out of her way and leaving a very stunned and tongue-tied professor. Students parted like the sea at the sight of her approaching. A swirl of rage and anger surrounded her making everyone jump away before they were eaten alive.   
  
Hey, wait up!  
  
Growling, she turned around to take a look at the hapless fool who dared interrupt her. She turned around to see the clapping boy she had briefly recalled knocking over on her way out of the lecture hall.   
  
I heard what you said in there and I just wanted to say it was amazing the way you stood up to the anti-christ.  
  
She opened her mouth ready to chew his head off, but the sound of her cell phone ringing in her bag knocked her off her ready fighting stance. Choosing to answer her calls knowing it might be a call concerning Kaya she waved a dismissive hand to the boy and walked away. she grumbled into the phone.  
  
What's up, Tsukushi?  
  
Yuki? Now is really not a good time. I can't talk right now.  
  
Wait! Don't hang up! I know today is your last day of class and I was thinking maybe we could celebrate. How about we have a girl's night at my place tonight followed by shopping tomorrow?  
  
I don't think that's a good idea. I would have to find someone to watch Kaya, and I hate begging Rui on short notice to do something like this.  
  
A slow piercing whine drowned out any coherent thought on Tsukushi's side. Please?! It's been so long since we've hung out with just the girls. Come on. If you can't find anyone to watch Kaya just bring her along. It'll be fun.  
  
Fine, whatever. I've got to go now. I'll think of something.  
  
You're the best.  
  
No. I'm an idiot who can't stand to hear your shrill whining.  
  
I promise you'll have fun.  
  
Okay, okay. I'm said I was coming already. I gotta go now. I've got errands to run.  
  
Okay. I'll see you at work later. Bye.  
  
  
  
Tsukushi chucked her phone back into her bag and continued her steady pace towards her car. Seeing a nearby dumpster, she tossed the stack of papers into the bin and stalked off campus.  
  
You don't know anything about me.   
  
-------------------------------------   
  
The bells overhanging the entrance chimed as the door swung open to the cozy little diner. Soujiro scanned the crowded establishment trying to find some small space he could occupy and perhaps have some quiet meal. A nearby waitress looked up from the table she was serving and haphazardly tossed the rest of the order onto the table earning a grimace from her customer. She smoothes back her hair with her hand and sashayed over to the door swaying her hips back and forth trying to entice the wandering eyes of Soujiro.  
  
Table for one?  
  
Soujiro looked down and flashed one of his killer smiles that made women fall at his feet begging to have his children. If you have one, please.  
  
She turned around trying to find someone to kick out of a table, so she could serve the handsome customer and perhaps talk her way into a date. Her roaming eyes finally landed on the single table in the far corner of he diner occupied by a rather unpleasant man. Wait right here. I'll have a table ready for you in one minute. She quickly scribbled out his check and skipped over to the table putting on an overly enthusiastic smile that would make your teeth rot. Well, I hope you've enjoyed your meal. Here is your check and you can pay for it at the front register. Without waiting for any response she picked up his plates and began clearing the table dumping his half eaten meal into a tray. Have a nice day.  
  
What the hell are you doing?! I wasn't even finished eating, yet! The man jolted up from his seat standing a good head taller than the waitress towering over her. He looked about ready to strike her or throw her out the window for disturbing his meal. I know working at a diner must be a lot of work on your tiny little brain and probably the fumes from the grill have killed whatever brain cells that still function in there, but this is unbelievable! he was about to continue on his rant tearing apart the waitress, but a hand tapped him on the shoulder interrupting the next slew of insults ready to be fired out.   
  
It's okay. How about you bring us two of whatever he just had on me.  
  
  
  
Calm down, man. He patted Tsukasa on the shoulder and pushed him back into the booth. Winking at the waitress who had now recomposed herself from the previous outburst she grumbled something about rude customers before smiling and walking off to take their order.  
  
What are you doing here?  
  
Soujiro rolled his head from one side of his neck to the other enjoying the crack in his neck releasing the built up tension. I came down her to grab some breakfast before heading to the club. What about you? If memory serves me right I thought I was the only one nursing a black eye? That looks pretty bad. You should put some ice on it to get the swelling down. He handed him the glass of water motioning for him to put it over the bruise.   
  
I had a little run in with the boss lady this morning, he grumbled.  
  
I see. It looks like her work. Tsukushi really knows how to pack a punch.  
  
Tsukasa leaned forward to avoid their conversation from being heard by any nosy server floating nearby. Tell me the truth. She has some mental instability issues doesn't she? You can tell me. It's the only way I can explain her erratic mood swings.  
  
She does, actually, he replied rubbing his chin. It's called being a woman. His boisterous laughter resounded in his ears mocking his inquiry. It is kind of weird though. I mean she has been known to have a bit of a violent streak about her, but I haven't seen her do damage like this since some guy at the club tried to rip her panties off of her underneath her skirt. That's odd. The only thing she can't tolerate are guys who try cop a feel off of her. So what happened that got you into this mess.  
  
The red blush creeping sweeping over his face was answer enough.  
  
He slapped the blushing fool on the back stifling his laughter. I never thought you had it in you. Looks like I just won myself a hundred bucks from Akira.  
  
It's not what it sounds like! It was an accident!  
  
Sure, it was an accident'. Is that what we're calling it now these days.  
  
The waitress bustled over and slammed Tsukasa's food in front of him letting his scrambled eggs slop over onto the formica. The scowl on her face was enough to say that he wasn't exactly her favorite customer at the moment. Ignoring the Tsukasa, she carefully slipped Soujiro's order in front of him all while expertly thrusting her chest in his peripheral area. Subtlety seemed to be a concept completely lost on the poor woman.   
  
You're bacon seems a little more cooked than mine. How about I switch with you?  
  
I guess.  
  
Soujiro reached over and picked up his fork ready to stab into a piece of bacon, but was met with the clang of his metal fork hitting the table.  
  
Oh! Let me get you a new order than! the waitress cried out dashing over to the kitchen and running out with a new plate. Here, you go. This one should be more satisfactory to your tastes.  
  
Thank you. He watched her heave a heavy sigh of relief and began to walk away, but he just had to make one more little comment. It's really not nice to spit in people's food.  
  
She stopped dead in her tracks before turning around apparently flustered at being caught in the act. I don't know what you could be referring to?' she shyly asked before bolting out of the dining area.   
  
Thanks, man.  
  
No prob. I've got your back. Back to what is was saying before, I knew it from the moment I met you there was something between you two.  
  
Tsukasa reached for his water sputtering out bits of toast while choking. He downed the whole glass and removed the glass from his lips gasping for air. What the hell did you say?!  
  
Soujiro remained unfazed and nonchalantly sipped at his coffee. I wasn't quite sure what it was going on between you two, but I could see it. It's not hard to spot that sexually repressed look in a man's eyes.  
  
Me and her?! You've seriously got to be joking. Never in a million years would I even want to touch her even with a ten foot pole.  
  
Take it easy. I was just kidding around with you. You don't seem much her type anyway. Although you do have a way of getting her pissed off that is uncannily humorous.   
  
I don't think that is a much of a good thing.  
  
No, it is. It's hard to get some real emotion out of her sometimes. She's been through a lot these past few years. It would do her some good to actually work on her social skills. It seems like the only people she consorts with us. It's a good step in the right direction.  
  
I still think she's a wack job.'  
  
Well, so are you, but insanity does like company. Honestly, Tsukushi seem callous on the outside, but she's a real softie on the inside. I'm telling you, if you tried to get to know her better your life will be a lot easier since you live with her and all. Change is always good and it never hurts to get another friend. Think about it. Soujiro slid out of the booth to leave Tsukasa to ponder over the weight of his words. I'll see you at work later.  
  
Wait a sec! Why does Akira owe you a hundred bucks?  
  
We had a bet whether or not you were really gay. I told him you were straight.  
  
  
  
  
  
Tsukasa sighed as he pushed his plate away from him. Could we really be friends? He violently shook his head negating such a notion before letting his head fall onto the table with a thud.   
  
As Soujiro threw paid the check he glanced back at the Tsukasa's head against the table. Change can only bring something for the better, he mumbled to himself. He thanked the cashier and made his way out the door when he felt something knock against him sending a storm of papers up into the air.   
  
I'm so sorry! the young woman gasped as she got down on her hands and knees to pick up her papers. I should have been watching where I was going.  
  
It's fine, I should have been watching for you running straight at me, he chuckled. He continued to gather the scattered papers stacking them in a neat pile before looking up to find himself locked in the gaze of a pair of brown eyes that seemed vaguely familiar. Behind the thin wire glasses he could see something so vaguely familiar, but couldn't seem to grasp it. Was she some girl he had a one night stand with some time ago? No, it couldn't be. His eyes roamed up and down her figure noting the plain grey business suit hanging on her thin frame. Her dark auburn hair was swept back by a white scarf headband letting the loose ends hang down her back. In the middle of his staring, he was more than shocked when she stopped snatching at papers and profusely apologizing to look up at the man she had bumped into.  
  
Somewhere in Tokyo, two pairs of eyes locked in the middle of a pool of papers flapping in the wind. Today was a day for changes alright. Something big and something new was going to take place.  
  
  
  
Soujiro could barely get the name out of his dumbfounded mouth.   
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
Tsukushi grumpily kicked the door open with her foot dragging Kaya form behind. Suffice it to say, her mood had not lightened much since her little run in with her professor that morning. Kaya released her hand and ran straight into her bedroom where the sounds of Pokemon soon boomed out from the television.   
  
Volume down, Kaya!  
  
  
  
A few seconds later the noise quieted down ad Tsukushi lugged the heavy bag of groceries onto the counter. Grumbling to herself she began shoving frozen meat into the freezer trying to figure out exactly what she had forgotten to buy on her trip to the supermarket. In the middle of rambling out various items, she stopped when the doorbell rang. Closing the freezer door closed she ran her weary hands through her tousled hair. It definitely was a very frizzy hair day for her. Sighing she opened the front door to find Akira grinning like a mad man on the other side with Sakurako by his side.   
  
  
  
Hey Sakurako. What do you want Akira? I know it can't be good.  
  
I'm hurt, Tuskushi. It pains me to see your complete lack of trust in me.  
  
Well you do have that shifty eye thing going for you.  
  
No I don't.  
  
She's right, you do, Sakurako concurred laughing at Akira's expense.   
  
Then there is the rather absurd choice of attire you always wear. Is there ever a day you just dress like a bum like the rest of us. I mean even Sakurako, although she's wearing a rather slutty pair of denim shorts and tube top, can dress down once in awhile. Aren't you hot wearing those black slacks and silk dress shirt.  
  
It's not my fault you two are fashion impaired, he retorted. He loosened the top three buttons on his shirt revealing his pale chest underneath grinning like a pervert. Like what you see ladies?  
  
Out of nowhere a black cane came crashing down on his head. Are you done with your idiotic shenanigans yet, young man?!  
  
Fuck! That hurts!  
  
Tsukushi burst out in laughter alongside Sakurako, but quickly shoved a whining Akira out of the way. she squealed wrapping her arms around eth petite elderly lady waiting out in the hallway. When did you get back? Why didn't you tell me? I would have picked you up from the airport.  
  
Tama gently peeled Tsukushi's arms off of her and attempted to straighten out her shirt after such a warm welcome. Are you going to leave me standing out in this hallway all day or are you going to let me in?   
  
Of course! Come in! Come in! She ushered Tama into the living room forgetting all about Akira and Sakurako. Sweeping off some of Kaya's toy left on the couch she motioned for the old woman to take a seat. Let me make you some tea. You must be tired after your long trip.  
  
Forget it, young miss. You don't need to bother with an old woman like me.  
  
No, it's no trouble at all.  
  
Sakurako placed a hand on Tsukushi's shoulder pushing her back into her seat. Sit. Akira and I will take care of it. Why don't you two stay and chat for awhile.  
  
Tsukushi happily replied. So when did you get back Tama?   
  
Tama neatly folded her hands in her lap and glanced around the room. A hint of disgust was written on her face at the lack of order in the apartment. It seems I just came back in time. I decided to cut my vacation short. I was worried about how you and the little one were doing.  
  
You really didn't have to. I mean we're doing just fine.  
  
I know. Can't you just let an old woman worry about her charge?  
  
Come on, Tama. You know you'll always be welcome here. You've been like family for as long as I could remember. I was just surprised to have you show up so suddenly.  
  
I wanted to surprise you, so I had that idiotic young man meet me at the airport.  
  
Who are you calling idiotic, old woman! Akira yelled lowering the tray onto the table.  
  
A quick rap of her cane put him back in his place though. This younger generation and their complete lack of respect, she mumbled from her teacup.  
  
Would you stop doing that?!  
  
You deserved it, Sakurako giggled as she plopped two lumps of sugar into her tea.  
  
So what do you plan on doing now that you're back, Tama? I've been watching over your apartment downstairs. It may be a little dusty down there, though. I haven't been able to keep up with housekeeping these last few months, but for now you can stay here for as long as you need until you get things set up again.  
  
The front door opened breaking up their discussion and fours pairs of heads turned towards the direction of the lock opening. Tsukasa dumbly walked into the middle of what looked like a really awkward situation, one that made him want to turn around and pretend her was never there.  
  
Who is this? Tama asked in a strained voice pointing her cane in his direction.  
  
This is Tsukasa. He's renting out the spare room.  
  
I do not approve of this young miss. I don't feel this is a proper living arrangement for the little one with a strange man living with a single mother and her child. He doesn't look trustworthy. It is not acceptable by any means.  
  
Who is she?! Tsukasa angrily asked.   
  
Tsukasa, this is an old family friend of mine, Tama. Before she left, she was Kaya's nanny. Don't mind her. She's just a tad on the overprotective side.  
  
Whatever. I just came to get a change of clothes before heading off for the club. He stalked out of the room slamming his door shut.   
  
Young miss, this is completely unacceptable! I don't think you've noticed, but have you seen his appearance. It's quite uncomely. He looks nothing more than a common street thug.  
  
He's an okay guy, Tama. Akira picked him out and he's been living here fine the last few weeks. Sakurako smiled tried to evoke some sense of reassurance on the issue. It probably only proved to fan the fire.  
  
That doesn't exactly help change my opinion.  
  
Forget it, already. He's staying here. End of discussion. I'm an adult now, Tama, and I can fully handle making wise choices. I would like you to continue being Kaya's nanny,. But if you can't handle my living arrangements then perhaps I should be looking into finding someone else to watch Kaya in my absence.  
  
I did not raise you to speak to me in such a tone, she sternly warned.  
  
And I'm no longer you're charge.  
  
Fine. I will not mention another word about your living arrangements but do know I don't trust that man.  
  
I don't trust him much either, but I can handle him.  
  
I noticed your handiwork on his face.  
  
Thank you. I learned from the best. Tsukushi wrapped her arms around Tama pulling her into a long embrace. She buried her head in her shoulder whispering, It's good to have you back here.  
  
It's good to be back here, young miss.  
  
Stop with this young miss' thing. You know it just sounds weird. Just call me Tsukushi.  
  
I guess I will have to adjust to these new changes. I've taken care of you and the young master for so long I sometimes forget that you weren't children anymore. Now that he's gone I can't help but worry for you. She strained to get the last word out of her mouth feeling it's foreign sound reverberating against her throat.   
  
Ahem. There are other people in the room still, ya know. Akira keeled over faking his gagging. His actions earned him a deathly glare from the two women. he pleaded putting up his hands in surrender.  
  
Kaya trudged out of her room with her back to the room still engrossed on the television on in her room. Can you come help me with something?  
  
How about I help you little one?  
  
Kaya's attention suddenly perked up as she spun around. She practically jumped over Akira to hop into Tama's open arms.   
  
How about you show me whatever it was you were working on?  
  
  
  
Tama picked up her cane and hobbled behind the bouncing little girl into the bedroom closing the door behind them.   
  
Geez, I've never seen you stand up to that old bag like that before! Akira cheered. He clapped in honor of the momentous occasion.   
  
Save it! And what is it with people clapping when I go into one a tirade?  
  
Well, it is rather interesting and quite entertaining from a spectator viewpoint, Tsukushi.  
  
Thanks. I'm so happy I can entertain you, Sakurako.   
  
Tsukushi sighed and leaned her head back against the couch trying to calm her nerves. It had been more than an overly stressful day for her and three outbursts in one day was wearing her down quick.   
  
Let me asked you something?  
  
What Akira?' she asked through closed eyes not really wanting to hear the pearls of wisdom he would bestow upon her. She slowly opened her eyes to see one of Kaya's hand puppets dangling in front of her face.  
  
The Kermit the Frog puppet opened its mouth before clamping shut quickly. Slowly the lips parted. When was the last time you had sex?  
  
What?! I don't think that's any of your business!  
  
Come on, Kermit chided rubbing against her cheek with his arm. It has been a long time hasn't it?  
  
I don't know maybe a year. You should remember you were there, she grumbled. Tsukushi quickly clamped her hand over her mouth wishing she had not blurted out what she just said.  
  
What? When did that happen? How come you guys never told me?  
  
I don't kiss and tell, Kermit scolded waving a hand in the air.   
  
Spill it Tsukushi. How the hell did that happen?  
  
She rubbed the temples of her forehead trying to release the pounding headache that was creeping up one her. It wasn't a big deal. It just sort of happened. I don't even remember much of what happened and neither did that idiot. It was his fault anyway. He came over one night to hang out and came up with the brilliant idea to make some wine coolers while we watched a movie. Wine coolers turned into margaritas, which then turned into tequila shots. We were pretty much smashed by the end of the night. The next thing I know I wake up naked and next to HIM! She pointed an accusing finger at Akira.  
  
Holy fucking shit! Sakurako screamed. Wait till the others hear about this.  
  
A pillow went soaring into her face. Tell the others and die! Tsukushi hissed. For all I know he was the worst lay I've ever had in my life. It's not like I have much to compare with. I've only slept with two men in my entire life. The first one ended up in getting me knocked up and the second got me piss drunk.  
  
That is the root of your problem, Tsukushi. You've got too much pent up sexual frustration. You need to let it out or you're life won't get any better. Try relaxing once in a while. Get out there and date someone. Have a one-night stand. If not try, I shudder to think, a real committed relationship.  
  
The frog's got a point, Sakurako interjected waving her teaspoon in the air. When was the last time you had a really good fuck?  
  
You're so subtle with your words.  
  
Get off your high horse. All of us just need to let off steam and if it call for the help of someone of the opposite sex, then so be it.  
  
Yes, let Kermit teach you some new moves that will definitely leave a smile on your face.  
  
Tsukushi rolled her head over taking in the sight of Kermit doing nasty unmentionable and not to mention sexual moves on the arm of the couch. Will you stop defiling my child's toy already?!  
  
See what I mean! You've got to unwind a little bit. Let Kermit help you if you know what I mean?  
  
She couldn't take another moment of it. Akira was really digging himself into a hole this time. She snatched the puppet revealing his bare hand, and he popped up from behind the couch. I've had enough of Kama Sutra lessons from Kermit here. I don't need you're help when it comes to my body and my love life. I'm not talking about this anymore.  
  
Shit! I'm already twenty minutes late. As much as I would like to stay and watch you two argue, I've got to help set up for tonight. I'm taking your car, Akira. You can catch a ride with Ms. Celibate over there. She stopped halfway to the doorway when Tsukasa stepped out from his room fully showered and dressed. Need a ride? she casually asked flipped her hair back.  
  
Yeah. I'll see you later, man. Tsukasa slapped Akira on the back and ran after Sakurako out the door.   
  
Settling himself on the couch next to Tsukushi, Akira draped one arm over the fuming woman. Seriously, you need to go out and meet some new people. Hasn't it been long enough since the whole thing with Rui? You gotta let someone in sometime.  
  
If you haven't noticed, I've got a kid. Who wants to date damaged goods?  
  
You're not damaged? Maybe a little like a dented can, but whatever's inside is still good, right? he laughed.   
  
Tsukushi jabbed an elbow into his ribs while laughing. I don't know. I've been over Rui since the day he broke up with me, before I even knew about Kaya. It just never felt right to move on when I found myself with a baby and everything else going on in my life.  
  
So, what happened between you and my pupil earlier?  
  
Don't even get me started. That perv grabbed my breast this morning, so I punched him in the face for that.  
  
Oooh! That's got to hurt.  
  
There's just something about that guy that gets under my skin sometimes. I feel bad for him, though. It's just so coincidental how he's always around when I'm in one of my moods. It's not my fault he's at the wrong pace at the wrong time.  
  
Perhaps you should try to come to some understanding before you kill the poor man. He's really a cool guy. He's just a little inexperienced when it comes to women.  
  
More like a complete idiot.  
  
Make nice. At least make the effort to be friends. I think he might stick around for a while if you don't kill him first. He's got a mean streak to him, too. I've seen it first hand. When he's around you, he holds a lot of restraint, though. It must kill him.  
  
Okay, okay. I get where you're going. I was going to call a truce sooner or later with him.  
  
Good girl. So have you considered my idea?  
  
What idea?  
  
That you should start dating and having wild casual sex?  
  
I'll consider the dating part, but the so called good fuck' is out of the question.  
  
Akira playfully rolled over resting his head onto her lap and grinned. Good. Maybe I'll have a chance with you yet. To her surprise, he pulled her head down and kissed her hard. He rolled himself off his comfortable position on the couch and sauntered out the door. I think I'll just take the train down to the club. Later.  
  
Bewilderment was the only thing she could say to define what had just happened.  
  
Maybe it was time to move on. Everyone else seems to have evolved over time, but I've stayed constant the entire time. It's always been reliable old Tsukushi. He may be on to something. God, he's set off a catalyst for action. It's time for a revolution.  
  
She bent over and picked up the discarded Kermit the Frog doll on the ground fitting it over her hand. I guess it's just you and me. The head bobbed up and down in response to her question.   
  
You're a good man, Kermit.  
  
-----------------------------------------   
  
The night had been rather uneventful. With their pockets a bit fuller and their heads a tad lighter they slumped in their chairs counting their tips for the night. Akira leaned back in his chair resting on the two back legs.  
  
We had a good haul tonight.  
  
Yeah, this weather's good for business. We emptied out all the taps. Soujiro tucked the thick wad of bills into his wallet patting his fattened pocket.   
  
That reminds me. Remember to refill the bar first thing tomorrow. Tsukushi yelled from the inner sanctum of her office. She stepped out locking the door behind her. Unbuttoned the to of her shirt revealing a lacy camisole peeking out from underneath. She snatched an empty chair straddling it while resting her chin against the back. Dragging herself closer into the small circle they had formed, she peered over into Yuki's shoulder watching her sort out her money.   
  
Yeah, I'll remember, Soujiro nodded. We should get going. We've got an early morning tomorrow.'  
  
Dude, I almost forgot. We're gonna kick their asses. Akira jumped out of his chair knocking it over. You should come too, Tsukasa.  
  
Come to what? he yawned.  
  
We're having our first official game of the summer tomorrow. This works out great now that we have an extra man. Can you play basketball?  
  
Of course, but why?  
  
Every summer all of the us guys get together and play ball. It's been a tradition we've had since the beginning. We've been short one player for the last few years, so we've been playing three-on-three for now with one alternate. You can be on our team. We all know that Akira here couldn't play defense if his life depended on it. Rui's pretty good, too, but we all know I carry the team, Soujiro smirked.  
  
Shut up! I've never seen a more pitiful jump shot in my life. Akira shoved Soujiro out of the way to drape an arm over Tsukasa's shoulder. You're on our team then! We've got an even number for four-on-four. Akira shot Soujiro a high five. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning. I can't wait to run Kin into the ground.  
  
Sounds good.  
  
Jeez. Boys and their sports, Sakurako sneered. Are we going or not, Yuki? I think we should pick up some supplies for tonight.  
  
I almost forgot. Tsukushi, we should stop by a 7-11 and pick up some stuff. I don't think I've got anything good at home.  
  
Oh yeah, right. Tsukasa, I'm gonna spend the night over at Yuki's. Kaya's over at Tama's, so you're on your own tonight. You'll need to find your own ride back.  
  
Maybe I'll actually get a good night's sleep for once without getting attacked for no reason, he sneered.   
  
Hey, I apologized. I still think you deserved it for your wandering hand.  
  
For the last time, it wasn't my fucking fault that you crashed into me. It was a damn accident.  
  
That's what you say, pervert.  
  
God, do you two ever stop fighting. I'm tired of hearing this. You copped a feel. She punched you in the face. Now you're even! Soujiro yelled. Just drop it, and be friends already.  
  
He started it.  
  
No, she started it.  
  
Forget it. It's a lost cause, Akira sighed nodding his head. I'm too tired to deal with their bitching. He pulled Tsukasa up from his chair and dragged him away from what was beginning to turn into a heated argument. I'll take you home.  
  
Soujiro threw an arm around his other shoulder. Here's 50 bucks.  
  
What's this for?  
  
I thought you deserved half for winning me the bet, he chuckled.  
  
Jesus Christ! I'm not gay already!  
  
Damn! I was so sure he was.  
  
As Tsukasa lunged towards Akira chasing out the door Soujiro lingered behind laughing his ass off while Tsukasa strangled Akira down to the ground in a head lock in the alleyway. He stopped and waved a goodbye. Good night ladies!  
  
Bye, Jiro! three high pitched voiced yelled in unison.   
  
Yeah. You coming along, Tsukushi?  
  
I'll be right behind you. I just need to lock up the place for the night. I'll be at your place in 20.  
  
  
  
They stumbled out fumbling with their heavily loaded arms stockpiled with enough booze to turn the rest of the night into a blur.  
  
Tsukushi closed her eyes for a moment trying to ground herself for a moment. She knew that a night with Sakurako and Yuki would lead only to a ton of alcohol abuse. She shifted in her seat sensing something or someone approach her. You're still here, Rui?  
  
He slid into a seat opposite of her resting his chin against the back mirroring her pose. I wanted to talk to you about something.  
  
Is this Kaya or Shizuka related?  
  
Actually both.  
  
She raised a wary eyebrow not liking where this conversation was heading.   
  
Kaya's going to be on summer vacation in two weeks, and you know what that means.  
  
You get her for two entire weeks of the summer. So what have you got planned this year? Trips to the zoo? Spoiling her rotten on ice cream and candy for two weeks straight?  
  
I was thinking of taking her to the beach.  
  
She would love that! It'll be a fun day trip for you two.  
  
I know. Shizuka was the one who suggested we go. Although instead of just spending one day there, I was going to take her there for the entire two weeks. We're going to take her to Atami.  
  
  
  
What do you mean no?  
  
I said no. You are not going to take her to Atami. We've never discussed you taking her out of the city during your two weeks.  
  
This is real bullshit, you know that! His dead eyes came alive with the hint of fire in them. The tone of his voice slowly rose to barely a yell. I'm her goddamn father. I shouldn't have to ask for permission to take her on vacation. It was just a courtesy for me to tell you that I was going to take her away.  
  
If it was her idea to go, I don't like it. I think I'm fairly reasonable even allowing Kaya to stay with you in the same apartment you two share. Taking her out of the city is an entirely different issue.  
  
Do you even hear the insanity coming out of your mouth. From what I'm hearing you just don't want me to take her because it was Shizuka's idea.  
  
Well, if that's what you think, then there's your reason.  
  
This hatred you have for her has got to stop already! When will you stop harboring this resentment towards her? It's been three years already.  
  
Tsukushi leapt out her chair ready to storm out the door. She was completely livid. The idea of that woman being within five feet of her daughter was enough to make her blood boil. I don't want to talk about this anymore. I'll never forgive Shizuka for what she did.  
  
Rui lurched forward grabbing hold of her wrist forcing her to stay. With her back turned to him, he could already picture the expression on her face, hard and deadened. It was the same one he had created for himself years ago. We're engaged, he barely whispered loud enough for her to hear.   
  
It felt as if someone had completely knocked the wind out of her. All the strength in her legs was quickly dissipating making it quite difficult withstand the burden of keeping her up. Slowly, her body sank back into the chair. This isn't about some stupid vacation anymore, is it? she mumbled. You wanted to tell me this all along.  
  
Yes and no. I wanted to tell you before the others. It's the right thing to do. Like it or not, Shizuka is going to be a permanent fixture in out family. She's going to be Kaya's step-mother whether you like it or not.  
  
She let out a disheartened sigh realizing the weight of the words spoken. The woman she reviled would become a second mother to her child, and there was truly nothing she could do about it. What do you want me to say?   
  
I don't know. I wanted you to know first since we're going to announce it to the soon. I was going to tell Kaya when we went to Atami. I want the two of them to get to know each other better.  
  
What the fuck do you want from me then?! It seems like you two have all this planned out. Shit! I don't know why you are telling me this? I really have no fucking clue! At this point any rational civilized conversation went out the window.   
  
What the hell are you saying? I was trying to be an adult about this, but apparently you can't be one. This shit never changes with us. What I'm saying isn't meant to be a threat. I'm such an idiot to think we could talk things out. I can see already this was a total waste of my time.   
  
She clenched her fists ignoring the red marks forming on her palms where her nails dug through the skin. I won't stop you from marrying the bitch, but I'm sure as hell she will never be anything remotely close to a mother to Kaya. Her tone rose with each word veiling the slight quaver in her voice. She would not back down. She would fight this to the grave if she had to. Don't pull this shit about forming your own little family with my daughter.  
  
Our daughter. For such a curt response, there was no loss on the bitterness dripping from his mouth.  
  
All you ever did for us was provide the sperm. She ever so calmly stood up and sighed. Mothers are a biological necessity; fathers are a social invention.  
  
Quoting Margaret Mead, I see.  
  
You were always the only one who was up to my level. It was too bad you turned out to be such an asshole. You'll do anything to keep her, won't you? You'll break every single moral rule in the book to get her.  
  
You wouldn't let me within ten feet of our daughter after you found out about us. I was giving you space to sort things out. Frankly, I don't regret what Shizuka did. She gave me my daughter back. Remember rules are meant for people who don't know how to get around them.'  
  
Tori Harrison.  
  
You always liked to play this little name that quote game. You just like having the upper hand trying to outwit everyone else.  
  
And you always wear that damn smug mask of yours. We all have our little quirks. I think that was what attracted me to you. You were the only one who had a single clue to what the hell I was saying most of the time. Too bad you have the worst judgment when it comes to people. She paused briefly trying to regain some sense of composure. Blackmail is always such a pretty thing to use to get your daughter. I only allowed you to be near Kaya because she threatened to take away Last Resort. You see her as the martyr sacrificing her feelings about us to help you get back your child from the bitch mother. Did you even stop once and think that she was willing to screw all of us over? Every single person here would have lost their job if I didn't agree to her ridiculous demands. Why can't you fucking see that?! Control was lost. She wanted to smash that damn mask he wore, the façade he hid behind. She knew what was behind it. For once, she wanted him to be human, to resemble the man she had once loved, be the man she thought she once knew. All she saw staring back at her was his dead eyes and blank unreadable face.   
  
Rui took hold of her wrist raised above her stopping her from assaulting him with her fists. It worked, didn't it? It all worked out in the end. Sometimes the ends justify the means.  
  
At that moment, she wanted to scratch his eyes out. She was breathing heavily having expelled all her energy in her previous wild attack. she spat in his face. Her body convulsed beneath him trying to free herself from his grasps. Let go of me!  
  
Not unless you agree to calm down.  
  
She slumped her shoulders knowing he would hold her like this for hours if necessary.   
  
Okay. We're making progress then. He released her wrists and stood back ready to protect himself if necessary.   
  
Tsukushi rubbed her wrists and shoved him out of the way. She couldn't stand the sight of him or barely register the idea of a stalemate they had found themselves in. So now what?  
  
I don't know. He slumped down into an empty chair and rested his face in his hands. Whoever said the truth will set you free was a lying bastard.  
  
Strangely enough Tsukushi's light laughter filled the air breaking through the still tenseness that lingered. He peeked out between his fingers not quite grasping the humor in all of this. There was something screaming in the back of his head that this was far from over, not by a long shot. His dread was only heightened by the intensity of her laughter increasing causing her to grab at her sides.  
  
She's lost it. She's completely lost her mind.  
  
What's so funny?  
  
You, me, THIS, she gasped between fits of laughter.  
  
Sorry, if I don't find the prospect of losing my daughter funny.   
  
You know what, Rui? I don't know either. I don't know what's going to happen.  
  
Rui stared down at the ground contemplating what in the world had ever possessed him to have the talk' with Tsukushi. Was he smoking crack or something? What did he expect to happen? Like she would jump into his arms wrapping him in a hug congratulating him on his impending nuptials. That was a long shot.   
  
Way to go Rui! Good job on breaking the news gently. You always had that way with women. Damn it! When did everything get so fucking contemplated. That was a low barb about the ends justifying the means. I know what she did. Hell, we even discussed the blowout of our decision to fight for Kaya. It was ironic how Susumu was the one who gave him the gift of his daughter back. As long as we hold our leverage on Tsukushi she can't do anything about the marriage. I fought once to gain partial custody, and I won't back down on having the agreement more strictly enforced. As long as we have control over Last Resort it'll be fine. After all, Susumu did leave Shizuka half of Last Resort for a reason, for protection.  
  
---------------------------------   
  
Yuki thrust open the door kicking her shoes off watching the slap against the wall onto the ground. Oh god, I need to get out of these heels, she moaned. She skipped into her bedroom to change into something a bit more comfortable.  
  
Sakurako juggled the heavy bags of supplies pushing past Tsukushi towards the kitchen. She dropped the her load onto the counter and began rifling through the bags pulling out all the junk food they had been craving. She ripped open a bag of Twizzlers and immediately sticking one of the red sticks into her mouth while she pulled out the booze from the other bag.   
  
Hey! Where did you put the blender, Yuki?!  
  
It's in the bottom left cupboard! she yelled in return from behind the closed bedroom door. A few moments later she emerged wearing a simple t-shirt and boxers. She sauntered into the kitchen to rummage for the margarita mix she had bought from their last girls' night.   
  
Tsukushi groaned as her back made a loud snapping noise while she peeled herself off her very comfortable position on the couch. Nope. They weren't about to let her get off so easily as to pass out now. Not even the long hot shower she had indulged in earlier was enough to shake off the shock that Rui had gladly bestowed upon her. Maybe partaking in a girl's night wasn't such a bad idea wasn't such a bad idea anyway. She could get wasted and dull some of the pain that ripped down her very soul.   
  
Drinks all around! Sakurako carried out a fresh pitcher of margaritas while Yuki followed behind with another pitcher full of daiquiris. Why have one when you can have both, they agreed. She stumbled into the living room setting her pitcher on the table. Grabbing a glass she poured salt onto the table and dipped the edge of the glass around it forming a salty rim. She then proceeded to pour the pale yellow-greenish liquid into it almost spilling over. The first one's for Tsukushi since it looks like she could use it.  
  
You don't see me arguing, she cheerily agreed downing the drink in one long gulp. Oh god! Brain freeze!  
  
Slow down! Pace yourself, we've got the entire night to get wasted. Yuki placed her daiquiri down with a look of bewilderment written all over her face. Something must be up if you're up for drinking. You're usually the one nagging us about killing our brain cells.  
  
I've got a good reason to, she sighed. She lazily traced her finger through the pile of salt on the table drawing little swirls.   
  
Sakurako followed in Tsukushi's example downing her drink in one gulp. After the initial chill that coursed through her body she snatched a hand full of M&M's stuffing her face. If we're going to have one of those Ya Ya sisterhood moments I want to be sure I'm liquored up good. AwDon't ruin this. I like drunk Tsukushi. She's way more fun than regular Tsukushi.  
  
Good point. Let's make a toast. To fun drunk Tsukushi!  
  
  
  
Ya Ya! Sakurako squealed before downing another margarita. Hey stop being such a lush. Quite hogging the margaritas. Sakurako snatched the now empty pitcher of margaritas away from Tsukushi wondering how she managed to polish it off so quickly.   
  
Stop being such a greedy whore. Make the next batch stronger. I'm not even feeling a buzz yet.'  
  
And so, the night ensued with many more drinks followed by random gossip. By the time they reached their tenth pitcher of margaritas they were pretty much smashed enough to know they would have to stop soon unless they wanted to spend the rest of the night hovering over the toilet. Through bleary eyes, they laughed hysterically as Sakurako recounted some sexcapade involving body oil, a whip and a rubber chicken. They laughed away the pain etched in their heart dulling away the grim reality of life enjoying the company of each other.   
  
Can you believe the nerve of that guy?! Sakurako screamed as she fell over backwards giggling.   
  
I still don't understand how you got your body to bend into that position? Tsukushi asked wide-eyed. She scrunched up her face trying to figure out the mechanics of her own body wondering if she could ever do that. She nodded her head dispelling nay thoughts about trying that one anytime soon.  
  
Yuki sullenly laid flat on the ground staring up at the sealing. Her hand reached for her glass knocking over the empty bottles lined up as proof of their lost sobriety. Don't you ever get tired of jumping from guy to guy, Sakurako?  
  
Her laughter quickly subsided, and her body became a bit rigid at the looming conversation that was approaching. She downed the rest of her glass and set it on the table. Sometimes, I guess.  
  
No offense or anything, but don't you ever just want stability. I mean, someone who gives a shit about you longer than a week.  
  
I think about it sometimes, but then that's something that will never happen will it.  
  
The sudden somber mood enveloping the group aroused Tsukushi form her dazed condition. It could if you wanted it.  
  
Yeah right. When guys look at you or Yuki they know where they stand. You two are the types of girls that guys would bring home to their mothers. I'm nothing more than a good Saturday night fuck, and that's what I give them. Hey, I don't disagree much with them either.  
  
You know you're more than that. We know the girl behind the slut act you put on. You don't always have to be that girl the rest of your life. I know one guy who would like to maybe see you setlle down.  
  
she snorted in disbelief.  
  
  
  
Please, the poor man doesn't have a shot in hell.  
  
Oh come on, you can't tell me you don't think he's kind of hot, Yuki giggled. She rolled over and pulled her body off the ground to rest her head on the table. Whoa! Tell me when the room stops spinning.  
  
I think you've had enough for tonight. Tsukushi pulled the glass out of her hand and slurped down the remnants. She's got a point, though. She may be drunk. But you don't have to be drunk to know that Thomas has one hot ass. The rest of him is just as nice, too.  
  
He's okay, I guess for a gaijin. I've never really thought about it really. Okay, so I've got to be blind to not notice his advances. He's been hitting me since the first day I walked into Last Resort. He's a little too desperate for me. He's out of the question.  
  
So you have considered settling down and actually trying to have an adult relationship. The great one night stand girl is actually considering commitment. I'm utterly shocked.  
  
Shut up wench. It's not like you've had much experience. My god, you've only slept with Rui and Akira.  
  
Akira! When the? What the?!  
  
I'm going to kill you! I should've never told you about that.  
  
In between fits of laughter, Yuki blurted out, So how was he?  
  
Chill! It's not like you remember much. Like you said, you two were too wasted to remember anything.  
  
A soft blush streaked across her cheeks making her face redder than it was before.   
  
Oh god! You do remember all of it.  
  
Well, I kind of started to remember things a few days afterwards. I wasn't about to bring that up with Akira. We agreed to never mention the horrid incident ever again. EVER.  
  
Yeah, but that still doesn't answer our question. How was he in bed?   
  
God I never thought you would be such a perv too, Yuki. She flopped down on the couch and smothered her face with a pillow to hide her shame. Since I've never been with anyone else, but him and Rui I'd have to give him an 9 for stamina and knowledge of female anatomy. The boy really knows how to hit the right places.  
  
Sakurako clapped her hands and let out a whoop. That's my boy!  
  
If you ever tell him I told you that I'll fucking kill you!  
  
Fine, fine, fine. Your secret is safe with us. Why don't we talk about your current love life or your present lack of? Yuki snickered.  
  
Yuki's right. Like I said earlier, you need to skip the commitment shit and get straight to a good fuck.  
  
Oh god, not this again.   
  
Yuki knocked Sakurako over and crawled over to the couch. She leaned over the arm and stared down at Tsukushi. She's right you know. Maybe not about the good fuck part, but you've really got to get out there and date. Time is ticking away.  
  
You sound just like my mother. I can't deal with any emotional drama in my life. Isn't enough I have to deal with one ex-boyfriend who will permanently be a fixture in my life? I don't think I can handle another man in my life.  
  
She's right, Sakurako whined. She violently began pulling at her arm trying to make her take things a bit more seriously. In her own annoying way, she was just trying to help. Go out there and find yourself a man. You've got to move on. Stop stressing over Rui.  
  
Her eyes snapped open and narrowed into two very fine slits. I was over Rui a long it me ago, she hissed. It doesn't matter what I think of him anyway. He's getting married to Shizuka.  
  
Fuck when did that happen?!  
  
Oh my god! When did he tell you?  
  
He told me after work today. They're going to take Kaya away for the summer to do some family bonding and probably get married sometime next year. And what can I do, but let him.  
  
That no good silent freaked mother fucking bastard!  
  
He wouldn't try to take Kaya, would he?  
  
Tsukushi patted her worried friend's hand in assurance. He won't, but if I try in any way to take Kaya away from him, Shizuka will use her leverage against me. She'll take Last Resort. I still can't believe Susumu was such a fucking idiot to leave half of Last Resort to her. As long as she owns half the place, she can do whatever she wants with her half. If she sells I may lose it all. I was pretty lucky that in exchange for giving Rui partial custody I was able to keep full control of Last Resort and she a silent partner. I don't know what will happen now. I may get screwed over in the end. With my luck, it's a definite thing. She waved a pathetic hand in the air.   
  
That's all the more reason that you need to get out there and get yourself a man. A good man between your legs could take some of the edge off.  
  
As much as I disagree with her words, Sakurako might have a point. You just need to relax and take your mind off things. You can't spend the rest of your life dwelling over Rui's every move. You've got to establish your own life.  
  
Now you're getting on my case, too, Yuuki? I don't want to talk about this anymore. She rubbed her temples trying to fight off the migraine spreading through her skull. Why the hell did we come here other than to mull over our pathetic lives? I think you had a reason, Yuki?  
  
Yuki jumped off the ground and planted her hands on her hips. Oh yeah! Wait, give me a second while the room stops spinning. She grabbed her head wincing in pain trying to focus her eyes on a crack on the wall. I'm going to finally do it.  
  
Is this another one of your schemes to get Soujiro? Sakurako groaned. We all know how embarrassing it was for him to call you his sister while he fucked that bitch last night, but what makes you think this will work. He's never taken the bait before.  
  
I agree.  
  
Come one! We've got to stop sitting around wishing that our lives would get better. If we want something to happen we've got to go out and do something about it! I'm not going to sit around and take anymore of his shit!  
  
Oh god, she's gotten into one of her self-empowerment speeches, Tsukushi whispered into Sakurako's ear.  
  
Sh! Maybe She's onto something. She cocked her head to one side trying to catch up with Yuki's rant. I want to see where she's going with this.  
  
I'm not going to be sweet, naïve Yuki anymore.  
  
Okay, so what you are suggesting is that we do the opposite of what we've been doing all along? Tsukushi warily asked.  
  
  
  
And that means?  
  
Sakurako is going to get into a serious relationship, which means no sex, no games, and nothing past first base. And you my friend, we are going to make sure you get full use out of this. Yuki snatched for a box underneath the couch and shoved it into Tsukushi's lap.  
  
She picked up the lid eyeing its contents.   
  
Hey, I think those are meant for me, Sakurako whined.   
  
Yuki slapped Sakurako's greedy hands away glaring at her. She gently patted Tsukushi's awe-struck face at the plethora of colors, sizes, and textures. It's time to get you back in the saddle again. This is a fresh start. We can be whoever we want to be.  
  
Okay, this is insane. Sakurako picked out a purple-foiled condom and twirled it between her fingers. It's so insane, that I'm in.  
  
Yes! How about you, Tsukushi. Yuki nudged her on the shoulder smiling like a drunken lunatic.  
  
What's the harm in all of this, Tsukushi thought. She couldn't help, but laugh at the idea of a celibate Sakurako and Yuki as some sort of dominatrix vixen. She nodded her head dropping any further thought on such a ridiculous idea. You two can do whatever you want, but I'm going to pass out in a pool of my own drunken drool. Tsukushi crawled her way up onto the couch and threw the blanket over herself. I'll help you with this, but don't drag me down with you.  
  
Yuki and Sakurako watched as Tsukushi quickly fell into a deep slumber. The quietly lifted their glasses polishing off the last drops of margaritas from the pitcher. Evilly they smiled to each other watching Tsukushi peacefully sleeping on the couch.  
  
We're not gonna let her off that easily now are, we? Sakurako whispered.  
  
She'll come around.  
  
I never thought you could be so evil, Yuki.  
  
Well, I learn fast. Here's to a revolution.  
  
The clinck of two glasses sealed the deal. Tomorrow would bring change for these women. For the better, or for the worse they had no idea. It would be their greatest experiment. It was a clean slate.   
  
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A/N: Whoa~! I've been mulling around with this chapter for the last couple of days and somehow I ended up writing 33 pages. I apologize for the length of this chapter, but I guarantee good stuff to come! I'll try to have another chapter up by next weekend, but we'll see. As always, review!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	9. Mating Rituals

Disclaimer: If I was rich I would own my coveted mini cooper.  
  
  
Chapter 9: Mating Rituals  
  
  
Pass it here!  
  
Get the hell out of my face, Soujiro! Junpei spun around trying to fake him out to make the pass to Thomas who wildly waved his arms open for the ball. He swerved to the left and right finally finding a blind spot and tossing the ball.   
  
Thomas jumped up with hands poised to catch the basketball, but to his dismay a hand flew out in front of his face and snatched it away merely inches from his grasp. he cursed under a ragged breath.  
  
Tsukasa felt the rough texture of the rubber ball graze his hand as he snatched it away from Thomas, who looked like he was about to go on a killing spree. He arched his knees gracefully leaping in the air. The ball flew from his hands in a perfect arc towards its intended destination. All eyes locked on the ball as fell through the hoop rattling the chain net.   
  
Game's over! In your face! Akira screamed. He raced towards Tsukasa jumping towards him and wrapping his arms around his neck. Clinging to him like a little monkey with his legs wrapped around Tsukasa's waist he let out a triumphant yelp.  
  
Argh! Get off of me!  
  
I love you man! Akira laughed as he jumped away from his extremely annoyed teammate. He didn't want to risk the wrath of Tsukasa after nearly getting his ass whipped last night. The guy sure knew how to cut off one's circulation in a headlock.   
  
I think you better run before he gives you another beating of your lifetime, Soujiro nonchalantly suggested. He walked over to the sidelines and rifled through his duffle bag procuring a water bottle. Under the intense heat, his skin had become lightly bronzed and somewhat sweaty. He raised his arm wiping away the beads of perspiration forming on his forehead. I still can't believe we won. I don't remember when was the last time we beat those guys.  
  
It was back when we had a team of four. Rui tugged at his shorts pulling them up as they had ridden down low against his hips during play. He snatched the water bottle from Soujiro's hand and squeezed it letting the cool liquid drench his hair and face dripping water down to his stomach. Maybe now we can make back some of the money we've lost these past few years. He gestured towards the four older disgruntled men approaching them.  
  
Here's your money! Junpei bitterly spat as he hurled the wad of bills onto the blacktop.  
  
Akira bent down picking up the crumpled bills and smoothed them out against his chest. He slapped a twenty dollar bill onto his forehead causing it to stick to his sweaty skin. Thank you very much, he mockingly retorted. It's always a pleasure to take money from you losers!  
  
Fuck off! Just because you got someone to cover up for your shitty playing doesn't mean that we'll let out guard down next time.   
  
I beg to differ. With our man, Tsukasa, here I think you'll be handing me more of your money. Come on, no one likes a sore loser. He spread the bills out fanning himself with the crisp paper.   
  
I'm gonna kill, you!'  
  
Whoa! It's just a game, Kin yelled as he grabbed Junpei's arm.   
  
Thomas grabbed the other arm preventing him from strangling Akira's throat. If you know what's good for you, Akira you'll back away right now.  
  
The two managed to pull Junpei away who continuously threw dirty looks at Akira, Soujiro, Rui and Tsukasa. A slew of muttered curses drifted to their ears.   
  
Good game. You were awesome out there Tsukasa. Same time next week? Tsuyoshi picked his bag off the ground and smiled.   
  
Yeah, but maybe you should talk to your friend over there about good sportsmanship, Akira sneered.   
  
Uh yeah. Well, I'll see you guys later. Tsuyoshi's slightly confused face faded away into a small wary smile. He turned around and picked up his pace trying to catch up with his friends.  
  
Good sportsmanship? I've heard of sore losers, but you're a really pain in the ass winner.  
  
It's been so long my pretties, Akira sighed as he plucked a single bill from the bunch and kissed it. You've come home to Papa Akira. He wiped a nonexistent tear from his eye.   
  
Give me that already! Soujiro snatched the money from his greedy hands. After tallying the correct amounts he passed the bills around equally.   
  
Do you guys always play for money?   
  
Yeah, but for the last two years we've been losing money to those guys. We'd always show up, play, and empty our pockets. It's nice to be on the winning side for a change. Rui tucked the bills into an outer pocket of his bag and slumped down onto the grass. He pulled out a t-shirt throwing it over his head.   
  
Soujiro flopped down beside him bringing his knees up to his chest. Looks like we've got our team back, he smirked. You're bartending skills may suck slightly, but in the court, you're the man.  
  
Yeah, what is it with you anyways? I've never seen you with this much energy before. Akira wrapped a towel around his neck and wipes away the drops of sweat trickling down his face.  
  
Well, it was the first night I actually got a good night's rest. Tsukushi or that kid usually keep me up all night with something.   
  
That reminds me. I wonder what the girls are up to. We haven't had a chance to get together in a long time. How about dinner later, my treat?  
  
I'll call Shizuka to let her know.  
  
Dude, I don't think that'll be a good idea. Tsukushi and Shizuka in confined spaces equates to disaster.  
  
Jiro's got a point. If she comes we'll have to take all pointy objects away from Tsukushi.  
  
I think those two will be fine.  
  
Yeah when Hell freezes over.  
  
She has to. Shizuka and I are engaged.  
  
Akira and Soujiro yelled in unison.  
  
When the hell did this happen? Did you tell her yet?  
  
Fuck! Tsukushi is gonna take this out on me, Tsukasa moaned falling over in agony.   
  
Hey, we're both in the same boat. She'll just take it out on me with her harping about my taking ore responsibility with the club. Shit, she just started laying off of me last week about it.  
  
Tsukasa's worse than you. He lives with her, Soujiro chuckled as he fanned Tsukasa trying to arouse him from his state of muttering random comments about women under his breath.   
I told her last night, Rui coolly answered. She wasn't exactly thrilled about it all, but she agreed to call a truce for now.  
  
Akira cocked his head to the side keeping his eyes on Rui's lower half. His eyebrows furrowed as if he was in deep contemplation.   
  
What the hell are you looking at?  
  
I was checking to see if you still had your balls intact. I thought she might have ripped them off when you told her.  
  
No good can come of this, Soujiro sighed.  
  
Tsukasa nodded his head in agreement, Although he had known the exact story behind Tsukushi, Rui, and Shizuka's love triangle it was apparent that Tsukushi hated no one more than Shizuka. Rui fit into a close second. With this new turn of events, an uneasy queasiness settled in his stomach. We're all fucked.  
  
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Sakurako lounged on the massage table sniffing the scent of her mango apricot exfoliating body scrub. Another handful of the cold grainy goop was slathered onto her tan legs as well trained hands rubbed up and down her thighs. Oh god, does this feel good.  
  
We should do this more often. Ah! Yuuki gripped the sheets underneath her naked body as the masseuse dug her knuckles into her back kneading away the knots of tension. Where did Tsukushi go anyway?  
  
I think she's getting waxed right now. I told them to give her the works. Resting her cheek against the soft fabric of the sheet covering the table, she contorted her face in disgust. She really needed to get her body fixed up a little. Have you seen her pores? They're like craters.  
  
What are you doing?!  
  
Please lay back, while we do our job.  
  
I don't remember wanting to get anything done there!  
  
It says right here that you paid for this. Just relax and let us do our work. I don't want to get in trouble with my supervisor.  
  
Hell no!  
  
Naoko! I need some help in room four! The sounds of objects crashing to the floor and low grunts flowed out from behind the closed doors. It'll be fast and painless! Hold her down!   
  
A few seconds later, a low moan was emitted resembling that of a wounded animal waiting to be put out of its misery.  
  
Yuuki yanked her body up gripping the sheet to the front of her body. What was that?  
  
I think they just gave her a wax, Sakurako chuckled. I signed her up for everything.  
  
Exactly what kind of wax did you tell them to give her?  
  
A Brazilian, she nonchalantly replied.   
  
The door joining the two rooms slowly creaked open. A very tired and bedraggled Tsukushi emerged clutching the doorframe for support. Her legs remained parted slightly indicating a slight limp with each step. She shot an accusing finger pointed towards Sakurako.   
  
I think I'm going to go get that facial done, Yuuki jumped up from the table and scurried out of the room with the spa staff trailing shortly behind. I um I'll check on you guys later.  
  
Tsukushi ignored Yuuki's haste departure focusing only on the rather smug looking Sakurako. All she wanted to do at the moment was inflict pain on the person who was the cause of the discomfort between her legs. I'm going to fucking kill you.  
  
The smile on Sakurako's face fell like a ton of bricks. She raised her hands in defense trying to plea for mercy. Come on, Tsukushi. I just thought you would want everything done.  
  
I think you need to have every hair on your body waxed off, too. She devilishly pulled out a bowl of hot wax from behind her back.   
  
Ring. Ring.  
  
That's my phone! She dashed behind the massage table and rifled through her purse in search of the god send on the other line. Saved in the nick of time.  
  
Not even close, she grunted in a low voice.   
  
Sakurako cringed behind the table slumping down against the leg. Slowly she raised the phone to her ear. she shakily asked trying to sound perfectly normal.   
  
Hey, I called Yuuki before, but she hung up one me and told me to call you instead.  
  
Sakurako slyly grinned to herself as a plan for escape formulated in her mind. After making the correct calculations for how fasts he could get to the door and at what angle she would have to slide underneath the table, she tossed the phone at Tsukushi. It's for you. Something about Kaya.   
  
The phone flew in the air headed straight for Tsukushi who appeared to be taken off balance worrying about what could be wrong with her child. Little did she notice, Sakurako dash beneath the table into a dive towards the partially open door. Tsukushi fumbled fro the phone that had barely made it into her hands and brought it up to her ear. The slam of the door and a quick shout of I made it! signaled Sakurako's successful escape.   
  
What's wrong with Kaya? she worriedly asked demanding a quick response to her inquiry. Her heart began pounding against her chest as all the possibilities ran through her head.   
  
Kaya? Nothing's wrong with Kaya, Soujiro responded sounding a bit annoyed and confused with the run around treatment he was receiving. Why are you guys playing musical phones for?  
  
Tsukushi clenched her fists muttering to herself, She's going to pay for this later.  
  
From the sounds of it Sakurako has been up to something, Soujiro chuckled over the line. What did she do this time?  
  
The explanation that was about to follow was cut short by the prospect of future jokes about the Brazilian wax coming from Akira and Soujiro. She shook her head deciding it was something that definitely wasn't meant to go outside these walls. Forget it, she defeatedly grumbled.  
  
Whatever. We just finished up our basketball game and to our utter surprise we won for once.  
  
That's great! she squealed. I can imagine how graceful a winner Akira must be. I think I can still hear him celebrating in the background.  
  
We are the champions! No time for losers! Cause we are the champions- of the world! Akira screamed into the phone singing completely off key and hitting a few notes not yet defined by man.  
  
Yeah, he hasn't shut up since we left the court. Will you shut up already?! The phone line began cracking violently with static as if it was dropped onto the floor. A long smacking noise ensued with a loud and some cheers in the background. Sorry about that. Tsukasa just took care of Akira.  
  
Thank god someone had the decency to stop him before he ruined Queen's song.  
  
Back to the reason why I called. We decided to take you girls out to an early dinner before work to celebrate. So are you guys in?  
  
I guess so.  
  
Good. Where are you?  
  
We're at the Bliss Spa on Takeshita Street.  
  
Okay, so why don't we meet at 6 in front of Harada?  
  
Sure, see you then. Bye.  
  
  
  
She turned the phone off and glanced around her realizing that she had been abandoned in the room. Storming out she headed straight for the changing room and began putting on her clothes muttering different forms of torture to have vengeance upon Sakurako.   
  
----------------------------------------  
  
I'll take these, thank you, Tsukushi giddily answered the saleswoman. I think Shopping is the best therapy.  
  
Especially when I'm the one footing the bill, Sakurako griped as she painstakingly signed the receipt as if she were signing her soul away. I hope this is the last of the outfit you forced me to buy you.  
  
You got yourself into this predicament and now you're paying, Yuuki laughed from behind the dressing room curtain. She slung the curtain back and strutted out wearing a pair of black strappy stilettos and a low cut black dress falling at her knees. The front dropped down low below the valley between her breasts. A thin diamond chain clasped the two sides of the thin fabric preventing her from exposing her front completely. To complement her new look, her eyes were darkly outlined by black eyeliner and her eyelashes lengthened with false eyelashes. Her lips were painted a dark red contrasting her pale skin. Long silver hoop earrings dangled from her ears brushing against her shoulders.   
  
I like it!  
  
It's a little too revealing for me, but considering the new look your going for thumbs up. Tsukushi picked through the rack of shirts, skirts, and pants hanging off the rack. Why don't you get something a bit more conservative? Like this. She held up a white pantsuit and handed it to her. It's a bit less obvious for the game of seduction you are playing. Plus, you could pull off a cute lacy camisole underneath to make it more casual or if you want to be bit more naughty a corset underneath.  
  
You do have impeccable taste, girl. Yuuki gratefully accepted the outfit and after a few minutes she re-emerged in the outfit. She stepped out earning a few passersby to stop and stare into the store at the beauty emerging from the dressing room. I'm not so sure about the pink top, though  
  
Very sophisticated, Sakurako commented as she zipped up a pair of long black boots she was trying on.   
  
Keep the pink top. It suits you. There's a certain degree of class you've got to keep up. She turned her direction towards Sakurako who had wandered off prodding a mini skirt and tube top. And you! No more of those clothes. You've got to get some decent clothes that says take me home to meet your mother' and less one night stand'.  
  
She's right. You've turned down everything we've suggested, Sakurako. If you want to be taken seriously, you've got to rethink the wardrobe. It's like everywhere you go all we see are two large pairs of breasts. There is more to you than body.  
  
Well, you flaunt your talents, she wagged a finger winking mischievously.  
  
I think she may be a lost cause.  
  
Not exactly. She might have a few problems without this. Yuuki held up a small case in her hand.  
  
How did you get that?! Sakurako screeched lunging towards Yuuki, but was brutally disappointed when it went flying through the air towards Tsukushi.  
  
Tsukushi twirled the case in her hand laughing. I still see you never leave home without it. How did you manage to pry this away from her, Yuuki?  
  
I took it from her purse while she was in the shower this morning, she devilishly smiled. It'll take her a few days to get a new one, so we've got some leeway to tame her sexual urges.  
  
Sakurako's eyes flashed red ready to attack to kill. Damn it! Give me back my fucking diaphragm!  
  
Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. You seem to have drawn a bit of attention to yourself, Tsukushi chided. I guess I'll be holding onto this for awhile. Let's just grab all this stuff and pay for it. She motioned towards the eager salesgirl expecting a large commission from their little shopping expedition. Although they were a loud group that had scared away a few of their customers entering with their blunt and rather crude remarks, the bill they racked up was enough to grant a reprieve for their lunacy.   
  
Will that be all for today? the girl bowed bringing over the receipts to be signed.   
  
Her hand weaved in an effortless motion as she signed her name on the dotted line marking her purchase totaling a paltry sum in comparison with Yuuki and Sakurako tab. Yuuki and Sakurako signed their receipts in turn barely flinching at the glaring price tags of their new wardrobes. It was all a matter of the attitude and that gave them the luxury to walk into the more affluent shopping districts where money talked and no one asked where it came from. It was all a smile, sign the paper, and everyone was happy. For all they knew they were just another set of elitist princesses out for their daily shopping trip.  
  
Thank you, Tsukushi politely replied yanking the tags off of her new outfit she had changed into.   
  
Yuuki and Sakurako in turn dropped the tags onto the table and walked out with full bags juggling in each arm towards Tsukushi's Jaguar parked in front. A few catcalls were directed towards them earning a rather unpleasant digit to be thrust in the air from Sakurako and an appalled gasp from an elderly woman. Yuuki and Tsukushi continued walking pretending they did not know the uncouth woman behind them.   
  
So what is next on your master plan, Yuuki? We've already redesigned your house, bought an entirely new wardrobe, and had makeovers. What else do we need?  
  
Are you really that slow? What else, but lingerie? You can't seduce a man without some artillery. Sakurako pointed towards a store across the street carrying items needed for all genders to please their sexual needs.  
  
What is that? Is that a high class sex store?  
  
Pretty much. They've got some hot stuff in there. The overly excited woman dragged them across the street towards a shop called Behind Closed Doors.   
  
It wasn't nearly as bad as Tsukushi expected with chains, whips, and other S&M goodies hanging form the ceilings to the floor. They did actually have a pretty decent section for the more tame consisting of tasteful lingerie. Sakurako quickly went to work tossing slips, garters, bras, and panties in every direction towards Yuuki who seemed a tad dazed over the wave of stimuli. Her eyes practically popped out of her head when a pack of edible panties were added to the pile.  
  
I think that's my cue to leave. Sorry, Yuuki, but this is where I draw the line in helping you. I better leave before she tries to sucker me into buying some crotchless panties. I'll wait for you guys outside. She patted Yuuki on the shoulder and laughed to herself. This is really Sakurako's element.  
  
Yuuki pitifully dropped the pile of high priced scraps of cloth on the ground and stared at them. Sex. That was all it came down to. She recalled the words that Sakurako had so wisely mentioned earlier.   
  
_When it all comes down to it you have to show that you hold the power. And where is that power? Sex. Either you have it or you don't because in the end sex is what will have them crawling back to you. You've got to own it. You've got to hold the power.  
  
_In reality, she always preferred to believe that the complex relationships men and women found themselves in would revolve around communication, trust, and emotional bonding. However, in the case of a certain bartender it was quite questionable. He always seemed more prone to the physical. Maybe he just hasn't found his match yet? It was too late now to turn back. If that was what he wanted she would sell herself using every last feminine wile in her body. Like the saying goes, sex sells. Nishikado Soujiro, you are in for one surprise.  
  
  
  
she asked snapping out of her thoughts to see a hand waving in front of her face.  
  
Where did Tsukushi go?'  
  
Oh, she was uncomfortable in here so she said she would wait outside.  
  
Well, I've got some goodies here for you. The evil look in her eyes was enough to set off that alarm go off in her head that she was in trouble. Get in there and try some of this stuff on. She grabbed her by the arm and flung her into one of the empty dressing rooms.   
  
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While schemes were being plotted to draw the playboy into a complicated game of seduction, he unknowingly walked down the street getting out into the fresh air trying to escape the suffocating heat in his apartment. Akira had ditched him hours before when a sudden mid-day fling presented itself. He was out the door faster than a bat out of hell. Silly as it was, there was some truth to be found in the old adage about sports and sex. Akira was always a firm believer in the theory, and without a fix for the last few days he was like a thirsty man in a desert. Rui had disappeared to god knows where. He was always the type to just disappear by himself either choosing his own quiet solitude over his companions. Tsukasa had retreated to the inner sanctum of his apartment probably trying to suck up as much quiet time as possible before hurricane Tsukushi lashed out on him once again. So, there he was once again alone. One is always the loneliest number.   
  
He kicked a crumpled piece of paper on the ground not paying much attention to his surroundings or the direction he was heading towards. He could feel the eyes of women leering in his general direction. It was his damn curse to have women instinctively be attracted to him even when he wasn't trying to get them into his bed. It almost seemed as if they flocked to him. Women came and went like the passing of the days of the week, but in his heart hung heavily the image of one woman who would always hold a place dear to his heart. It was rather odd that at times the reaction to the thought of her would make his heart alight with joy at simpler times when everything had transparent, others it felt like something ripping his inside apart at the prospect of an emotion he should not be feeling at all.   
  
His steps faltered for a moment in front of a small gathering crowd outside the window of a clothing store. Perhaps there was some sort of celebrity inside or something drawing crowds to ogle a fashion show. It didn't matter much to him either way who it was. Models, actresses, women in general were only play things meant to be dragged around a bit for show before being shelved for a newer model. It was the sudden attack on his senses that brought him down from his high horse, when he caught a short glimpse of the people inside drawing a show.   
  
He should have known better, he thought to himself. From outside he could see the faint trace of Tsukushi and Sakurako's heads from behind. What he never expected was the assault on his body at the sight of her, Yuuki. It would be a lie to say he was blind to the sight before him. He never once denied the fact that she was a woman, but those clothes. That damn sheer lace camisole that hung to her every curve of her milky white flesh was enough to make him want to rush in there and drag her into one of dressing rooms to cover her up. What was this feeling? Jealousy?  
  
He couldn't feel that way, not now not ever. Yuuki was Yuuki, something to be put in the realm of no man's land for the likes of him. However, the sudden change in her outer appearance was not enough to draw him into a complete oblivion of insanity. No, something was definitely not right in this picture.   
  
Boredom makes you co stupid things, and that nagging curiosity in the back of his head was more than enough to propel him on a chase to find out why this turn of events was happening. Silently he stalked his prey from across the street waiting for them to depart from the store. The moment. He saw the three vixens step out into the light of day drawing the attention of a few more catcalls than he appreciated. He replayed the conversation earlier rethinking the sudden trip to the spa explaining Yuuki's apparent new look. Although the makeup and hair attempted to create a sophisticated mature look for the young woman, he could see right through it seeing nothing more than the naïve girl that still slept with teddy bears.   
  
What are they doing going into there?! He watched Yuuki and Tsukushi timidly be dragged into Behind Closed Doors. He instantly recognized the familiar lettering from the shopping bags that generally lay scattered in the closets of his trysts. If you thought Victoria's Secret was deadly, this place was lethal. His legs quavered at some of the racier outfits he had the privilege of bearing witness to.   
  
Normally it was more of an Akira to stalk the girls when an opportunity for future verbal torture presented itself, but it was more pure intrigue that kept him in this game of cat and mouse. Speak of the devil, one of the mice has left the pack.  
  
Hey!' he yelled jumping from behind Tsukushi and wrapping his arms around her.  
  
Her shrill screamed filled the street making people stop and stare. On instinct she spun around and landed a sharp upper cut into his jaw.   
  
Jumping back in time before any further damage was done he rubbed his jaw. God, sometimes I wonder if you're a man trapped in a woman's body with a fist like that.  
  
Tsukushi heavily panted waiting for the signs of cardiac arrest to subside in her chest. I'll let that comment slide for now until my heart drops out of my throat. What the hell are you doing here anyway? It's not like you to loiter the streets like some depraved stalker.  
  
I was just passing by.  
  
she disbelievingly shrugged. Feeling quite annoyed by him at the current moment, she turned to walk away.   
  
Hey, wait up! He reached a hand out onto her shoulder and draped an arm over her. So, I heard about Rui and Shizuka this morning.  
  
If you are going to give me one of those brotherly speeches about growing up and moving on with my life you're a little too late. I think it's better we leave it as it stands- a standstill. It'll be much better in your interest if you drop the issue. I still need some time to process all of this.  
  
It's marriage, he sighed digging his hands into his pockets. It sorta just seems surreal that we've reached that pointing our lives.  
  
Not all of us plan on going solo the rest of our lives. At some point we've all got to settle down.  
  
And you plan on doing that?  
  
Maybe. Who knows I could always meet my Prince Charming who will sweep my off my feet? I guess deep down all girls just want to meet the guy and settle down, have the house, the kids, and all that domestic bliss.  
  
Coming from you, it sounds a tad disturbing.  
  
Whether or not you like it, women reach a point where they don't want to fuck around anymore. No one will wait around forever for something that may not come around.  
  
That reminds me. I know she said she was cool with what happened, but is Yuuki still cool with what happened?  
  
Yeah she is I think. I would have been downright pissed like after the little preview she saw through your window of your wild night. No one likes to be ditched.  
  
yeah I did notice that little middle finger salute from her. Should I do something to make it up to her?   
  
Forget about it. She's pretty much over it. Actually she's been too preoccupied with a certain guy that has caught her eye. She's going all out for this one. It's nothing like her last few boyfriends. She really thinks he is the one.  
  
A flash of jealousy raced through his fevered mind remembering the last few losers Yuuki had dated. Each and every single on he hated, but then again there wasn't much reason to not like them. Yuuki had a tendency to fall for the wrong kind of guys. She would go into the new relationship full force and then they would draw back breaking her heart and shattering any self-confidence in herself as a woman. In reality, they were assholes looking to exploit her forgiving and caring nature.  
  
Do I know him?  
  
He's actually someone we all know, she casually stated.  
  
It was all too easy to mess with his head. As much as she loved Soujiro and his pride in being a master of the mind of a woman, he was completely oblivious when it came to Yuuki in certain ways. Yes, he did realize she had a slight infatuation with him, but he never would have thought of the huge effort she would put into trapping him. Then something hit her like a brick wall. A plot was forming in her manipulative head, one that would perhaps kill two birds with one stone in her. It was like putting two and two together. At first she had decided to drop little hints that the man was him, but no this would be ten times more fun. Yuuki and Sakurako would probably want to kill her later for this, but hey it was worth a shot in the dark. God, now she was becoming like Akira butting into everyone else's business.  
  
You probably saw Yuuki earlier. She went all out for this guy with a trip to the spa and the new wardrobe. She really wants to impress him. I think they would make the perfect couple. He's pretty much the exact guy she needs right now.  
  
he inquired showing more interest in the current topic than the previous. I guess I'll be the judge of that.   
  
She couldn't resist the final push of his buttons. Underneath that cool playboy exterior she could see the twinge of jealousy growing in him. This time it was serious game they were playing.  
  
Looking him dead in the eyes making sure not one word would not be ingrained in his mind she spoke. Yuuki's tired of it all, and she's moving on. She won't wait around forever.  
  
She didn't even give him a chance to take in the new turn of events. If she hung around him any longer she didn't think she could hold in the smile that threatened to expose the thickening plot.  
  
Soujiro stood dumbfounded wondering who the hell that guy was. At first, he thought that she might have been talking about him, but then there was that sudden twist in the conversation made him doubt otherwise. He watched Tsukushi casually walk away definitely with some sort of sense of foreboding in his future. The disconcerting exchange definitely was not what he had intended to gain from this.  
  
-------------------------------   
  
Tsukasa lazily sprawled against the couch channel surfing over the hundred of channels that had yet to be explored. On a sweltering day like today, he was lucky out find himself laying around the house letting his mind deteriorate with each passing infomercial while the hum of the air conditioning lulled him to sleep. As far as he was concerned, there was nothing in the world that could force him to leave that couch. The old woman and that brat had long ago locked themselves inside the bedroom for a nap or something. The idea of a nap started to sound better and better to him, so he let his eyes close drowning out the and of the audience's fascination with knives that could cut through anything imaginable.   
  
Is this all you do around here?! a rather stern voice bellowed into his ears. Tama sharply rapped her cane against his shins forcing him to move his legs off the couch and sit upright.   
  
Tsukasa winced in pain, and rubbed his assaulted shins muttering a string of curses under his breath. What the hell was that for old woman?  
  
She seated herself across from him and shut the television off. Staring straight into his eyes as if trying to burn a hole into a soul, she cleared her throat. I hate to see young people waste their lives on mindless trite.  
  
Maybe some of like that mindless tripe, he retorted crossing his arms over his chest knowing that there was probably some long lecture to follow from the prehistoric being. His eyes lingered on the wrinkles on her face wondering if maybe the number of wrinkles equated to her true age like the number of rings on a tree stump can tell you the number of years of its existence. Something tells me this isn't about my television watching.  
  
You are smarter than you look.  
  
The disapproving scowl on his face portrayed his apparent dislike for the old woman's candor. What is it already?  
  
Tsukushi is young and still learning. She prefers to blindly grasp through the world believing the best in people. She is exactly the same as her brother. Her heart has always been her own undoing.  
  
Heart? You've got to be shitting me.  
  
His colorful language was met with a quick rap of her cane across his legs.   
  
Her face remained fixed while her eyes danced with a slight glimmer of sadistic pleasure in punishing him. I suggest you refrain from using such foul language near the little one. She placed her cane back by her side and continued. I don't trust you, but apparently the young miss has chosen to allow you to stay against her better judgment. The little one has apparently taken to you also.  
  
Does this little speech have a point to it? he grumbled. The desire to snatch that cane away from her and smashing it into a thousand pieces grew within him. His fingers itched at his side while he silently mulled over the best time to grab the thing from her.   
  
I don't like you.  
  
Well, I don't like you either.  
  
I just wanted to make it certain where we stand. She warily eyed him and gripped the side of her chair to get up. I will be watching you.   
  
Tsukasa leaned back against the couch wondering what the hell had just occurred between him and the decrepit hag. Something just wasn't right about the way she was looking at him, but then again old people generally didn't find his attitude very respectful in the first place. Then there was that nagging feeling in the back of his head.  
  
I'm starting to have that feeling that I've fallen into my own grave and I just keep shoveling.  
  
The doorbell rang stirring him to his senses. Grudgingly he dragged himself form his comfortable position and swung open the door. Hey Rui,' he waved before stomping back onto the couch.   
  
I'm here to pick up Kaya for the afternoon, he briefly stated before heading straight into her bedroom. A few moments later he walked back out with Kaya in tow and Tama not too far behind. I'll be dropping her off back here in a few hours. Tsukushi said she would be taking the night off, so she should be back here by around nine to let you off duty.  
  
She's already informed me off this, Tama stiffly replied. She watched his ever move as if scrutinizing his true intentions of really brining back the child.   
  
I'll see you later, Rui waved to Tsukasa.   
  
  
  
Bye, Mr. Pineapple!  
  
Sure thing, kid.  
  
Minutes later, the door slammed shut and to his relief, he was alone in the apartment again. Turning the television back on he settled his head against a pillow.   
  
Now back to these amazing knives.   
  
-------------------------------------   
  
Rui felt the grip on his hand loosen the moment they reached the park. He watched Kaya maniacally run up the hill towards the large tree in top. She chased after a white butterfly trying to capture it in her hands. A small smile crept onto his lips watching her playful innocence.   
  
He flopped his body down and leaned back against the trunk of the tree. His fingers plucked a few blades of grass releasing them to drift away in the wind. The wild girl ran circles around him before he could find the chance to make a quick grab for her pulling her down in a heap besides him.   
  
I wanted to talk to you about something.  
  
What is it, Papa? Are we going to go get ice cream later? Her face lit up immediately at the word ice cream.   
  
Maybe, but I wanted to talk to you about something else. I was thinking that maybe when you stay with me for two weeks this summer we could go to the beach. I've already made some reservations for us to rent a house on the beach.  
  
Really? I want to go swimming!  
  
I'm glad that you like the idea. I was also thinking Shizuka could come with us. I know she's been wanting to spend some time with you.  
  
There was a small resistance on Kaya's part about that small detail. For a young child, she was extremely aware of the tension that existed between the adults. She knew deep down, that her mother did not seem to like the woman that much. However, for as long as she was on this earth she was raised believing that there had never been a real time when her parents had ever been together. A slight frown appeared on her face.  
  
What's wrong? I thought you liked Shizuka?  
  
On Kaya's part hate and dislike were not part of the way she was built. On the other hand, she had seen the effects of her mother's broken heart every time it seemed as if she had chosen the other woman over her mother. It was a delicate balance for such a young child to maintain. No, I like her, she smiled trying to appease her father.   
  
That's good, he sighed in relief. He knew the topic he was trying to break into would be difficult. It was his job to tell her. Tsukushi refused to be the one to tell her. Well, you might be seeing her a lot more. Papa, has asked Shizuka to marry him and she said yes. She's going to be my new wife soon.  
  
Kaya wasn't your ordinary child. Most children grew up with the ingrained impression that mothers and fathers were married and lived together. Two qualifications that both her parents did not abide to. They had already had the talk a long time ago about different types of families. She sometimes considered herself lucky to be different form the other kids. She had two homes; therefore, twice the number of toys to divide into two locations, but sometimes all a kid wants is normalcy. A feeling that they are just like everyone else, and not a target for kids whose parents were bound my marital vows. It almost seemed unfair that other kids got to live with both their parents. The natural order of things to her knowledge was marriage then baby.  
  
Do you still love Mama?  
  
That was a question he definitely was not expecting. Of course, I do. I always will love your mother as much as I love you.   
  
Then why didn't you ever marry her?  
  
He sighed running a hand through his hair trying to think of a proper way to explain things. We've talked about this before. Your mother and I once loved each other, so much that we had you. I still love her, but not the same way I used to. We knew if we stayed together neither of us would ever be really happy. Sometimes people love each other so much they are willing to let go of the other to be truly happy. Your Mama and Papa loved each other enough to let the other find the person they would really be happy with.  
  
Will Mama find someone to be happy with?  
  
One day.  
  
Can I ask you something?  
  
  
  
Does this mean I can have the little brother or sister I've been asking for?  
  
We'll talk about that later.  
  
------------------------------------   
  
Tsukushi grinned to herself after hanging up her phone. This plan was fool proof. Generally she would have never bothered to get involved with a scheme like this, but what the fuck. Everyone else thought it was their duty to screw with her love life, so why not turn around and pull the same crap with them. It did guarantee an interesting show, though. God, some of Akira was really rubbing off on her.  
  
She picked up her latte and headed towards the fiction section of the small bookstore ready to immerse herself in some plotlines that probably resembled her own life at the moment. It was really one of her secret passions. Yes, she did enjoy reading a good Bronte or Dickenson, but throw in a little shameless Nicholas Sparks or Jill Shalvis and she was a happy camper. Slipping in between the stacks, she settled herself into one of the couches left on the side for a book whore like herself. Just to be on the safe side she placed her decoy copy of Jane Eyre in front of the latest Harlequin novel placed on the shelves that week. Nothing was more pathetic for a connoisseur of fine literature, like herself, to be caught reading something that depraved housewives lacking luster in their sex lives took interest in. Honestly it was the closest thing to a sexual thrill she had experienced in a long time.  
  
It's moments like this that I love the most. I've got my coffee in one hand and a piece of purely fictional slightly pornographic reading material in the other. Now all is right with the world. Just play it cool. For all the people around me know, I'm deeply engrossed in Jane Eyre.   
  
Peace was something that sadly enough was fleeting for her.   
  
Jane Eyre? I've never been much of a fan of the book.  
  
She was roused from the throes of passion Margaret was about to experience with her raven haired Adonis. Peering an eye over the cover of the book, she inspected her rude intruder. He definitely was nothing to compare to the likes of the finely chiseled god, Robert in her book. Her eyes lingered on his tousled chestnut hair, the warm hazel eyes,  
and kind smile glaring her in the face. His wrinkled grey t-shirt bearing some lettering she couldn't quite read and his baggy jeans clung to his lean body. Judging from him his towering over her, he was about 5'10.   
  
He's not exactly bad looking either. Shut up, Tsukushi! Stop letting your hormones get the best of you. Sure, the book was slightly turning you on, but this is reality now. Fuck! Is he still looking at me. Okay, just ignore him and maybe he'll go away.   
  
She turned away and proceeded to immerse herself deeper in the book hoping he would have gotten he hint to walk away.   
  
Do you mind if I sit here?  
  
She shrugged her shoulders and moved her purse over trying to avoid any eye contact with the guy who obviously found it his life mission to bother her now. Go ahead, she grumbled in a very unfriendly manner.  
  
She peered to the side to watch him flip through a magazine and breathed a breath of relief that he was going to leave her alone now. She reached to the floor and picked up the Styrofoam cup containing her hot coffee. Raising the cup to her lips she slowly took a long sip with her eyes closed savoring the rich taste and smell of fresh brewed coffee. A small sigh of satisfaction escaped her lips followed by a slight smile. Her tongue darted out to lap up the trickling drop of coffee that lingered on her upper lip. Lazily she opened her eyes, and much to her dismay the young man had dropped the magazine to his lap and was now openly gawking at her with his mouth slightly agape.  
  
Now he was really pissing her off.  
  
Why don't you take a picture? It'll last longer, she nastily snapped.  
  
He scrambled to pick up his magazine trying to regain what little remaining dignity he had left and propped it back up in front of his face. Little did he know the latest edition of Newsweek was prominently upside down in his hands. Either he was a real idiot or he had an impeccable skill of reading upside down.  
  
It was just a little too funny for words. Laughter erupted from her lips. Putting down her books, Tsukushi reached over and snatched the magazine from his hands. She made sure he saw the obvious triumphant smirk on her face before flipping it right side up and placing it back into his hands. Seeing as how the poor guy had been humiliated enough, she rose from the couch carrying her coffee in one hand and her books in the other. Happy reading, she giggled.   
  
Seeing as how Yuuki and Sakurako would probably be looking for her by now, she proceeded towards the check out counter. It was becoming apparent that the only time she would ever have to indulge in her secret pleasure would be in the confines of her bedroom late at night.   
  
  
  
She turned around and just her luck it was him.   
  
she asked raising an inquisitive eyebrow.  
  
You forgot your other book.  
  
Busted.  
  
Utter humiliation and defeat were written all over her face. Not only did this stranger have the nerve to chase her away from her little corner sanctuary of the bookstore, he had the nerve to discover her little secret. Thank you, she gritted out between her teeth. A faint blush crept up over her pale cheeks.   
  
He flipped the book in his hand staring down at the picture of the very much half naked man looming over the busty vixen on the cover. Don't worry. I'll keep your little secret, he nervously laughed while running one hand through his hair. He placed the book back into her outreached hand, but held on a few seconds longer than necessary before relinquishing the object. You don't remember me, do you?  
  
Should I?   
  
Oh yeah, I guess you might now remember me from the other day. I was the guy who saw you give the anti-christ what he deserved. That old guy had it coming to him.  
  
Vague recollection seeped into her brain. Her eyes narrowed trying to make a connection to the face in front of her, and then it all came rushing back to her. The clapper! she said a little too loudly finally making the connection.   
  
His face scrunched up in confusion for a moment, before his face turned a nice shade of red. Yeah, that was me.  
  
Well thanks for giving my book back. I was just about to go pay and leave. I'll see you around I guess. Wanting to make a haste retreat she threw the books down onto the counter waiting impatiently for the salesperson to ring up her purchase.  
  
Yeah, well you probably don't remember me from the other classes. I think we took Writing I two semesters ago with Furahata, then there was Eighteenth Century Lit. with Sasaki, Prose and Composition with Sohma, and a couple of others I can't really remember now.  
  
Oh great. Here's another stalker to add onto the list.   
  
I've always noticed you class. I must say when you read aloud in our creative writing course last semester I couldn't stop thinking about what you wrote for weeks. I've just never gotten the chance to actually speak to you until now.  
  
Definitely stalker. I can see it already. I'm the poor writer locked up in his apartment while he threatens to hack off my legs with an axe kinda like that movie . Walk away Tsukushi. Better yet, run.   
  
That's very nice of you. I'm flattered and all. I slapped the few bills down onto the counter and hugged the bag under my arm.  
  
Noticing my obvious wariness of his sudden confession he stepped forward cornering me before I could get to the door. I didn't mean to freak you out like that, but I sincerely meant that I admire your work. My intention wasn't purely to bore you to death with praises or anything.  
  
Danger! Too close for comfort!  
  
a cheery voice yelled from the doorway.  
  
I thought you were going to wait for us outside, an exasperated Sakurako interrupted. Who's this?  
  
I turned towards my friends and for the first time I can honestly say I was glad to see Sakurako in all her rude glory. This is  
  
Aoike Kazuya, he slowly smiled extending a hand towards the two women. He stepped away from Tsukushi letting her escape behind Yuuki for protection like a frightened child.  
  
Nice to meet you, Yuuki replied. How do you know Tsukushi?  
  
Oh, we had some classes together this semester.   
  
Sakurako's predatory grin spread from ear to ear. She never mentioned to us how handsome the guys were at college. If I knew I would have signed up myself.  
  
Uh yeah, he grimaced clearly becoming a tad frightened by her forward nature.   
  
It was rather funny the way that the sudden appearance of her two companions evened out the playing field. Nothing more can frighten a man than the feeling of being closed in by a group of women that looked more like a pack of hyenas ready to shred him apart.  
  
This has been nice and all, but I think we really should be going. I tugged at Yuuki and Sakurako's arms.   
  
A mischievous glimmer of a smirk crossed Yuuki's lips. Oh we still have time. I would like to get to meet your friend a little better here.  
  
Having no idea how it even happened in the first place, Tsukushi found herself sitting in the café conjoined to the bookstore sharing a table with Yuuki, Sakurako, and the supposed stalker, Kazuya. Although she fought overruled decision to make a haste exit, she found herself not quite disliking him as much as their initial encounter. He was actually a bit more interesting once you got past his weird need to praise her every so often.  
  
So you're an English? Yuuki drawled finding rapt interest in the topic. Do you want to be a writer yourself?  
  
I like to think I am one, but compare to Tsukushi over here I'm starting to doubt my capabilities.  
  
Enough about that. Tell me, Kazuya. Where are you from? Sakurako asked.  
  
I've only been in Tokyo for the last two years. I moved here when I started university. I originally came from Atami.  
  
Oh, you lived by the beach?  
  
Yeah. It was a pretty boring community over there mostly with elderly retirees. My parents forced us to stay there to run the resort we own.  
  
Wait, a sec! Do your parents happen to own the Crown resort?  
  
Guilty as charged, he answered raising a meek hand.   
  
Oh my god, I can't believe I'm sitting at the same table with the owner of the top resort in Atami. We usually stay there every time we visit during the summer, Sakurako gushed. She casually leaned forward and rested a hand onto his thigh making him jump a little in his seat. I love your place.  
  
It's nothing much, really. It's mainly a small family business.  
  
I wouldn't call a staff of two hundred and a gross profit of close to 5 million a year a small family business, she murmured under her breath.  
  
Yuuki swiftly kicked her from underneath the table trying to hide the dismay in her face at her friend's comment. Yes, we usually reserve one of the beach houses out there every summer. The service has always been amazing. I don't think I've ever seen you there before, though.  
  
Yeah, well I usually spent the summer surfing and not really helping out. I was never very good at being a bellboy I'm afraid.   
  
Look at the time, Yuuki faked shock. We need to get home and get ready for work later. Right Sakurako? she winked.  
  
What are you talking about?  
  
A bitter strain overtook Yuuki's normally cheerful tone. Didn't you say something about helping me with moving some? Do you remember what we agreed upon about helping?   
  
Wha? Ow! she yelped as another swift kick was directed to her shin. Oh yeah, the furniture. She stood up and shook Kazuya's hand. Holding it a little longer than necessary, she tried to decipher the conversion of the size of his hand in relation to another body part. You've got a firm hand shake there. It's gentle yet firm.  
  
Yes, I hope we meet again, Yuuki smiled as she shoved Sakurako out the door.  
  
Mortification. That was the look on Tsukushi's face. Traitors the two of them. She watched their hands waving in wild motions at her from the window showing their approval. She wanted nothing more than to slam her head against the table in response.   
  
He turned his head to the side just catching a glimpse of their wild antics form the street.  
  
I'm really sorry about my friends. They can get carried away sometimes.  
  
No, it's fine. I understand. I know of the unspoken rule about girls ganging up on the poor guy that tries to make a move on their friend.  
  
Yeah, I know, she laughed.   
  
Well, at least now you know my life history. I hope I could get to know a little more about you. Well, I mean I was going to Would you? he stuttered. Finally giving up, he blurted out, Do you want to go out some time? Like a movie or dinner sometime?  
  
Now came the hard part. He was just so damn pathetic, but she knew it was going to end up like this in the end. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm not really in a place to date anyone right now. Things are just a bit too complicated right now.  
  
Oh, I see. I should have known someone like you would already be attached. It was my mistake for wasting your time. You can't blame a guy, right?  
  
Something about that disappointed look on his face struck a chord in her. It had been way too long since she was able to carry out an adult conversation with someone else without having to explain the meaning of the word genre.   
  
I better get going. Sakurako and Yuuki are probably waiting outside for me. It was nice meeting you anyway, Kazuya. She stood up to take her leave.  
  
Well, I hope maybe we'll meet again. I'm a frequent patron of this bookstore.  
  
  
  
Wait, before you leave. Here, this is for just in case you change your mind. He grabbed a pen from his back pocket, and scribbled something resembling a phone number inside the book cover before handing it to her.   
  
Martin Gray's The Book of Life she recited reading the cover of the book.   
  
My number is in there. You can keep the book, too. I think you might like it.  
  
Thank you, she replied shoving the book into her purse.   
  
Tsukushi walked out the café taking one quick glance back at the insistent man. He would surely get an A for effort in his pursuit to get her attention. Sakurako and Yuuki jumped her once she got out of plain sight.   
  
So what happened?!  
  
Did he ask you out?!  
  
Nothing happened, she shrugged. He asked me out, but I told him I wasn't really into dating anyone right now.  
  
Are you fucking nuts? Sakurako screamed at the top of her lungs. Not only was the guy pretty good looking, but he has a bank account large enough to buy a small island. In my book that constitutes a man that you should marry. Hell, if you don't want him. I'll take him! She spun around determined to head straight back towards the café.   
  
Tsukushi reached a hand out and grabbed her before she embarrassed herself any further. Drop it already. I think you've reached your quota on scaring the shit out of people for today.  
  
The rest of the car ride was spent in pretty much misery for Tsukushi as she listened to Yuuki's disapproving comments about passing up a good prospect. The car ride was worsened ten times by Sakurako's whining about how she could have been a millionaire's wife.   
  
---------------------------------------   
  
The three women sauntered into one of the secluded back rooms of the exclusive restaurant gaining the stares and attention of their fellow diners. Eyes followed their cat like movements and the gentle sway of their hips as they passed by. Men looked on wishing they could ever get close enough to something like that, while the women looked on with envy written all over the scowls on their faces. The waiters fought over who would pull out their chairs fighting for the chance to even brush a hand against their bodies to touch something that was above them all, goddesses.   
  
Being the gentlemen they were, Akira and Soujiro automatically stood up to pull out chairs for their partners. Although Tsukasa did require a little bit of encouragement form Soujiro, meaning a kick from underneath the table telling him to get up.  
  
Why is everyone kicking me today? he grumbled underneath his breath while trying to keep a fake smile on his face.   
  
Tsukushi chose to ignore his stupidity and flashed a genuine smile. Thank you.   
  
Oddly enough Tsukasa had to admit seeing her dressed up the way she was, he didn't exactly like or dislike her much at the moment. It was a little unnerving to see her actually acting like a lady.   
  
Tsukushi could feel his eyes on her. She motioned to try to smooth out any wrinkles in her cream-colored skirt, and lavender silk halter-top. She shuddered a little underneath the blast of air conditioning streaming directly at her from above. Goosebumps formed on her exposed shoulders and arms. She jumped a little when she felt her chair being moved over the side. Turning to her right, she saw the arms of Tsukasa pushing her chair over and moving his own in the way of the stream of cold air.  
  
Are you still cold?  
  
she replied in a daze at a genuine act of chivalry on his part. That was nice of you.  
  
Couldn't let you get sick and spreading it to that kid. There's nothing more that I hate than sick people, he gruffly replied trying to downplay what he had done.  
  
Good one, Soujiro whispered.  
  
He glanced over at Akira who had also noticed the small exchange between the two. It was a rare moment of civility between the two, and they did actually seem like they didn't want to strangle the other to death. They nodded to each other both realizing that perhaps Tsukasa was starting to come around, and maybe Tsukushi was too.   
  
Soujiro tried his best to restrain the need to stare at Yuuki with a gaping mouth. He almost lost it when she walked in. It was acceptable for Sakurako to come waltzing in wearing something that could barely be considered legal to wear outside. The fiery red strapless dress that hung snugly around her every curve and stopping at her knees in a small flair was a little conservative for her, though. What Yuuki was wearing could be considered downright indecent. Being a man first and foremost, he found his eyes wandering down to her chest that was almost exposed by the low cut of the front. It must have taken some sort of miracle to keep the two thin pieces of fabric pulled over enough to cover each of her breasts. Any sudden movement would have probably caused her to burst out. Then there was the fact that she was wearing black of all colors. It was alluring just to know what other dark secrets she was hiding. Her hair was different now, too. It was straighter now, and had a few specks of blonde highlights reflected off the lights in the restaurant.   
  
You look nice, he whispered into her ear barely able to hide slightly breathless and deepened rumble in his voice.  
  
You don't look too bad yourself, she smirked. She didn't even bat an eyelash at his comment letting it drip off of her like water. In this game, she had to act cool and aloof.   
  
Woah! Somebody prettied you three up, Akira whistled.   
  
Always the one with such eloquence and charm, Tsukushi smiled. In response to that, I must say you look pretty damn hot yourself.  
  
Sakurako leant forward giving the waiter behind Yuuki a very enticing look at her cleavage. As usual her distraction caused him to almost knock into another waiter standing behind him when he turned to leave. Luckily, Soujiro stabilized the man before a tray of drinks fell onto Yuuki.   
  
Both Tsukushi and Yuuki shot her a warning glare.   
  
In return, Sakurako shrugged her shoulders. she muttered under breath. Where's Rui, anyway? I'm starving, she asked trying to drive the attention away from her small slip.   
  
He said he might be a little late. He was going to drop Kaya off at home.  
  
Speaking of, he's just arrived.  
  
They all turned to see Rui walking beside Shizuka. His arm rested behind her back leading her towards the table. An obvious glare was reflecting off of her hand from the large princess cut diamond on her finger. All in all, they made the picture perfect couple.   
  
Soujiro stood up first and patted Rui on the back while giving Shizuka a chaste kiss on the cheek. I heard the news congratulations.  
  
Thank you, she smiled.   
  
A certain silent tension filled the table as Rui and Shizuka seated themselves. Everyone turned to Tsukushi wondering what her reaction to this sudden predicament would be. To their surprise, her temper was in check and a small smile was plastered on her face.  
  
Hello, Shizuka, she curtly and politely said.   
  
Her smile veiled her inner suspicion at the extended olive branch.  
  
Well, why don't you order for us. I m in the mood to dance with a beautiful lady. Akira extended a hand out to Tsukushi, which she gratefully accepted.   
  
She allowed herself to be swept away by her gallant knight. Actually he was more like the court jester, but close enough.  
  
I think I've bought us some time from the awkwardness, he grinned while twirling her on the dance floor.  
  
Tsukushi breathed a sigh of relief while sneaking a peek over her shoulder. From the looks of it, Sakurako was dragging Tsukasa onto the dance floor. You always pull through in the end, she laughed. So what do you really think about this whole thing? And don't give me any of that shit about trying to be adults about the whole thing. I want the real dirt.  
  
She buried her face in his shoulder trying to suppress her own outburst of laughter. The truth?  
  
he nodded.  
  
I am wishing right now I could claw her eyes out for even agreeing to marry him. I would let him marry anyone else, but her. What am I to do? I can't stop him.  
  
Well, it's his own loss for not seeing that he lost a great thing. He placed his cheek against the top of her head inhaling the light scent of her perfume. The guy who steals your heart away will be one lucky bastard. For now, let's make Rui eat his heart out for missing this. He dropped her into a low dip making her squeal in delight.   
  
Across the dance floor Sakurako looked on with interest at Akira and Tsukushi's interaction. There was just something oddly unsettling about that look in Akira's eyes. Maybe it was just one of those rare occurrences or the influence of one two many glasses of wine. There was definitely something.   
  
You can loosen up a little, she teased Tsukasa who appeared a little timid towards the idea of holding her any closer to him. His movements were rather wooden at the moment.  
  
His muscles unclenched and he let himself relax a little bit more. He was a little rusty at dancing like this, but it was slowly coming back to him.   
  
That's better. When you're not all confused and sulky, you're actually quite good looking. Did you know that?  
  
Thanks I think. You don't look too bad yourself.  
  
She smiled to herself seeing him open up a little more to her. Is that an actual compliment from you?! I am rather shocked.  
  
Well, they're reserved for only a select few.  
  
You're actually not such a bad guy, Tsukasa. You're a little rough around the edges, but deep down I can see you being a sweet guy.  
  
He blushed at her compliment feeling a little awkward and unsure if what she was doing was coming onto him.   
  
------------------------------------------   
  
So, JiroWhat did you do today? Yuuki pleasantly asked trying to strike up conversation. They were the only tow left at the table now seeing as how the others had opted to forgo table small talk for dancing.  
  
Nothing much, he curtly replied keeping his gaze away from hers.   
  
A tiny idea popped into her head. Do you mind if I try some of your wine. You always have such good taste. Not even waiting for his reply she took the glass from his hand and touched her lips to the glass. The crimson liquid dripped into her slightly parted lips into her mouth. Her tongue lightly grazed the edge of the glass lapping up the sweet juice. As she slowly pulled the glass away, her lips ever so slightly puckered as she grazed her teeth over her bottom lip trying to catch the last few lingering drops. A small moan of contentment escaped her. She settled the glass back onto the table and a lazy smile curved onto her lips.   
  
Soujiro's gaze had slowly moved from the glass in his hand to the said item touching Yuuki's supple lips. Her actions had left him a little more than shell-shocked. Since when did she drink wine like that?   
  
The man was damn frustrating. Her little attempt to gain his attention had resulted in him looking more confused than ever. He really needed to buy a clue.   
  
She pushed her chair back and nodded her head towards the dance floor. Dance with me? she asked in a pleading tone.  
  
He obligingly followed her onto the dance floor and placed a hand on her hip while the other clasped her hand. Is it just me or doesn't this feel a little like old times? I mean when was the last time all of us have hung out together.  
  
Not since Susumu, she sighed wistfully thinking back to a better time in their lives. She pulled him closer to her and rested her head on his chest. From underneath his shirt she could hear the faint, familiar sound of his heartbeat. It was almost lulling to listen to the light thumps of through his chest. You smell nice. Her hand on his shoulder reached up to run her fingertips through his hair. It was just as soft as it looked.   
  
His body went rigid. Okay, something definitely wasn't right with what is going on? It almost felt like this woman wasn't Yuuki. In a way, he didn't like the way things were going.   
  
You seem different?   
  
I feel the same like I've always been. Maybe it's the new clothes and hair.  
  
Maybe. I guess I'm not used to seeing you this way.  
  
What? You don't like my new look?  
  
No, no, no, he protested in fear of angering her twice in a row that week. He knew better than to offend a woman's appearance. It's nice.  
  
Inside she was seething at the word .  
  
Nice! What do you mean nice? I don't think $3000 of hair, makeup, and clothes constitutes to a simple answer of .  
  
The answer to her questions hit her. If he was going to play that way, she was going to need to turn up the heat. She leaned her head up and whispered into his ear hoping to make her point clear. I'm anything, but nice, she huskily whispered.   
  
-------------------------------   
  
Tsukushi nudged Akira a little bit closer towards Yuuki and Soujiro wondering how her game of seduction was going. Based on that fleeting look of anger in her eyes and Soujiro's impenetrable mask, things weren't going too well. She couldn't believe that the wine glass trick didn't do anything to him. Hell, even Tsukushi couldn't help but feel a little turned on by it. Where did sweet, innocent Yuuki learn something like that? Jiro definitely must be going blind.   
  
All she could do was look away at the disaster waiting to happen. Perhaps her little secret weapon would come in more useful than she expected. It was a rather sneaky, but could be quite effective. Those four just needed a little extra push. She would leave him so emotionally confused that he won't know what hits him when he realizes the truth.  
  
What is that look on your face?  
  
Oh nothing, she smiled.   
  
She looked around at the others in the room smiling to herself. This would be very interesting indeed. There is one basic rule of mating for all animals. When threatened, it's all a matter of establishing dominance.   
  
--------------------------   
  
A/N: Thus concludes another installment of Last Resort. I'm having more and more trouble getting these chapters written. They just seem to drag on and on sometimes, but still quite enjoyable to see what new ideas spring up along the way. Life takes precedence over fanfics like always. Prolly not another chapter will be out for this fic for a month. I have to regroup and try to figure out the next direction I will take in this story. It doesn't help much either that I've become hooked to writing my very first Rurouni Kenshin fic, Daughter of Eve. Once I get an idea I can't stop thinking about it. If anyone out there likes some good RK check it out. Review, review, review!   
  
  
Now I take a brief interlude to write a little not of thanks to my reviewers:  
  
Aaawww Nothing makes this poor girl happier than a nice long review from you guys. It's nice to be appreciated for something my friends and family call my insanity. If anyone asks, I do not write fanfics while I'm on my laptop. I'm just typing up a research paper. I don't consider myself a very good writer, then again I always think that others are way better. Honestly, I stopped writing completely about four years ago when I was in high school. Let's just say that a certain creative writing teacher I had in high school who is a published author herself thought my ideas and writing were mediocre and trite. I think there is nothing worse than having someone nitpick over every line, verse, and plotline you write. I call it literature homicide. That'll really kill one's aspirations to write anything. So, after taking a long break I decided to write fanfics thinking Hey, I could do that too. I found something that I loved once again and it only made my days better knowing that someone actually enjoyed the stuff I wrote. So, from the bottom of my heart I thank you all and I hope that I can continue to live up to your expectations of writing something memorable and decent.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	10. Cereal, Ducks, and Music

Disclaimer: Prima facie and Quid Pro Quo, all that good legal stuff. Man, who knew learning Latin would come in useful.  
  
  
Note: Italics denotes a flashback  
  
Chapter 10: Cereal, Ducks, and Music  
  
  
  
Another week of work had ended, and at the same time, it was by a unanimous vote and a threat by Akira to lead a revolt that everyone would have the beginning of the week off until opening up again. The heat wave was still raging. The newscasters couldn't exactly clearly define what the cause of Mother Nature's wrath. Whatever it was, she must be having a serious bout of PMS or something.  
  
Tsukasa slinked into the apartment holding a few shopping bags under his arms. His clothes had seen better days and seeing as his small newfound wealth from the club. He was now able to purchase a few decent pairs of pants and shirts to tide him over until his next paycheck. Old habits were always hard to break and his appearance was just one of his weaknesses.   
  
What the?! Where did they go?! an annoyed voice screeched from the kitchen. Empty! They're all empty! Tsukushi stomped out of the kitchen holding empty boxes in her hands and pointed an accusing finger towards Tsukasa. You ate my Ring Dings! She flipped the box over emphasizing the fact that the box of calorie filled pastries was presently empty.   
  
Oh yeah. I ate those last night I think, pretty good.  
  
Okay, that does it! You're coming with me. She marched forward and gripped his wrist yanking him out the door with him.   
  
-----------------------   
  
Why do I have to be here? Tsukasa grumbled. I already told you I didn't mean to eat all your Ring Dings.  
  
Tsukushi pushed the cart in front of them while grabbing boxes and cans off the shelves every few aisles. You're here because it seems that even with all the food I buy with each trip it's not enough. I can't carry too much to the car and I refuse to make multiple trips every week to restock. You're going to help me carry all this stuff back. Plus, I thought it would be a nice chance for us to get to know each other a little better. I've realized that I don't know much about you. According to Sakurako, you're a pretty good conversationalist. Besides, didn't we agree at that dinner we would try to be friends? We do live together so it would be a nice to know a little more about the person sleeping down the hall from me.  
  
Yeah, but I didn't think you were going to take that seriously. I thought it was more of a ceasefire agreement between us to not kill each other. I seriously doubt that you'll we'll have some miraculous turning point in our relationship into lifelong friends between the canned food and cereals aisle.  
  
Get used to it. I plan on harassing you for the next three days. I'll be everywhere you are for the next 72 hours. I see this as a personal challenge to learn more about you. We can't go one going at each other's throats all the time. At least I'm making an effort.  
  
It's nice that you find it amusing to use me as a little project' It's nice of you to take such an avid interest in me seeing as how I'm such an interesting topic and all.  
  
There you go! See I've already learned something very important about you, she exclaimed. The cart immediately stopped.  
  
And what would that be? he asked curiously.  
  
You're ego is probably as huge as this watermelon in the cart, she laughed picking up the ten pound watermelon in the cart.   
  
Ha ha very funny.  
  
Geez, loosen up. And everyone else thinks I'm uptight.  
  
This is stupid. I'll wait for you outside.   
  
Wait! Did you know type of cereal you eat can say a lot about you. She stopped and picked up two boxes of cereal and pointed towards the wall of cereals. Go ahead and pick one.  
  
He snatched the box of Lucky Charms and tossed it into the cart. Happy now?  
  
she replied rubbing her chin.  
  
  
  
_Hurry up, Rui. I'm not waiting all day while you read every single box. I want to get home with the groceries before the ice cream melts, Tsukushi sighed quite exasperated. She leaned her elbows against the handle of the shopping cart while resting a foot on the rack on the bottom. She stared at him as he slowly paced up and down the cereal aisle.  
  
Don't rush me, he smiled. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day you know.   
  
Remind me to never take you grocery shopping again.  
  
Hey, you were the one who made me drive down here.  
  
I'm regretting it already.  
  
Did you know that the type of cereal you eat says a lot about your personality?  
  
  
  
Would I lie to you?  
  
She tilted her head to the side contemplating whether or not he would. I suppose you not.  
  
Good. Now pick one.  
  
Her eyes roamed over the shelves and stopped in front of the middle set. Lucky Charms! She snatched the box and tossed it into the cart. Now you pick one.  
  
Rui turned back towards the initial shelf he was looking at and picked up a box of Raisin Bran. He walked back towards the cart and handed it towards Tsukushi.  
  
Raisin Bran? Eh, too bland for me. I need the sugar. What does this say about you? she asked.   
  
Hey, don't mock my cereal. Raisin Bran doesn't seem too exciting. Actually it looks pretty dull on the outside and the bran flakes are plain. It's a really dull looking cereal, but when you find a raisin on your spoon with the bran it's not so plain anymore. You have to dig around a bit to find the little good part.  
  
Her eyes lit up with the realization of what he was implying dawning upon her. I get it. You're the cereal. On the outside it looks like it's really dull and plain, but it's actually very complicated. Since it looks so dull it almost repels people away, but for those who are willing to look aside they'll get rewarded in the end. If you look hard enough inside you can find the good things inside, but you have to have patience to find them. You've got to put some effort into find the good hiding inside. That's a pretty good metaphor. What does my cereal say about me?  
  
He picked up the box of Lucky Charms. Lucky Charms. It says that are very alive and vibrant with all the different colors. You're very open and inviting. You also have childlike tendencies by picking something so sugary, but that's a good thing because it shows that you're really an innocent type of person, simple and sweet.  
  
Is that all?  
  
Actually it could mean something else. His face became very serious as he turned towards her. It also could mean you have some sort of sexual perversion for leprechauns! he burst out laughing watching the look of shock on her face.   
  
she screamed as she slapping him on the arm. You can be such an ass! She turned the cart around and started stomping away from him.  
  
Rui ran forward and jumped in front of the cart stopping her from escaping. Tsukushi released her grip from the cart and turned around ready to walk out of the store, but was stopped by Rui's hand wrapped around her wrist.  
  
Sorry, I was just teasing you.   
  
Before she could set out an onslaught of expletives at him, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her partially opened mouth silencing her before a word could be uttered. At first she struggled against him by placing her hands against his chest to push him away, but soon she melted into him returning the gesture with equal fervor. They would have kept going except for the small tirade by an elderly woman pushing her cart past about how there is a place and time for everything.   
  
Tsukushi pulled away and buried her head into his chest feeling the heat rise to her cheeks waiting for the woman to turn into the next aisle. Come on let's go before they ban us from the cereal aisle, she giggled.   
  
She laced her fingers with his and pulled him back towards the cart. Putting her hands back on the handle to push the cart to checkout, she was stopped by a pair of familiar arms wrapping around her from behind. Rui leaned his head on her shoulder and sighed. Very gently he brushed her hair to the side and kissed the side of her neck near her earlobe. His warm breath tickled her sensitive skin.   
  
As he pulled his mouth away he whispered into her ear, Just like I said, sweet and simple.  
  
  
  
_So what does it mean? Tsukasa asked.  
  
It means that you're sweet and simple, she smiled. I was right about my instincts with you. You may not admit it, but deep down you're really a sweet guy. I told you the cereal never lies. Come one, we should go pay. I need to pick up Kaya in an hour. She pushed the cart and walked away from him.   
  
So what cereal are you then?  
  
I used to like Lucky Charms, but I guess nowadays I'm more of a Raisin Bran kind of girl.  
  
Ugh! Raisin Bran is so plain and nasty.  
  
I used to think the same thing myself.   
  
-----------------------   
  
Kaya squealed as she ran out of the school gates.   
  
Tsukushi prepared herself for the little girl that jumped into her arms and swung her around in circles listening to her squeal in delight. Placing her on the ground she knelt down to face her at eye level. Come one, how about we go to the park today since it's such a nice day? It's been awhile since we fed the ducks.  
  
Is Mr. Pineapple coming with us too?' she asked pointing towards Tsukasa who lazily leaned against the wall to the side. She leaned forward and whispered into her mother's ear. He looks cranky.  
  
Tsukushi turned around and looked at the resentful man who was dragged along to pick up her daughter. It took a lot of persuasion to get him out of the house away from the air conditioning, but her persistence had paid off. Why don't you go ask him?  
  
Kaya skipped over to Tsukasa and tugged on his sleeve to get his attention. Come on, Mr. Pineapple. Mama said we can go to the park and feed the ducks.  
  
I don't think so kid.  
  
Her lips formed into a pitiful pout. I want you to come push me in the swing. If you come and we're extra good Mama will buy us ice cream. Please!  
  
Fine, he grunted moving away form the wall. He was startled when a tiny hand grabbed his refusing to let go.   
  
She dragged Tsukasa towards her mother and put her other free hand in her mother's. We're going to the park!  
  
Tsukasa smirked at Tsukushi over Kaya's head. That was a dirty trick.  
  
I know, but it got you to come.  
  
You're really annoying.  
  
And I just learned something else about you, she giggled.   
  
What would that be?  
  
You can't resist this pout. She mimicked the sad wounded animal pout that Kaya had used seconds ago. Who do you think she learned it from?  
  
They walked in relative silence to the park except for the occasional break of chatter coming from Kaya. Tsukushi held the smile on her face and listened intently to her daughter recounting the serious events that had taken place at school that day as if it were a newscast form CNN. Every once in awhile a small smile would cross Tsukasa's lips upon hearing a funny little anecdote from the little girl.   
  
Watch out for the edge, Kaya! I don't want to have to fish you out of the pond like last time, Tsukushi warned from her seat on the grass. She reached for the bag of bread at her side and tossed a few more pieces at the ducks swimming around.   
  
Kaya ran back and forth along the edge of the water following the line of ducks following their mother. Her arms were folded at her sides flapping as she waddled like the other ducks.  
  
Tsukushi looked out towards the water with a half dazed look while Tsukasa seated himself beside her trying to see if he could hit the ducks with the pieces of bread. It was a relatively serene day in the park with a few children playing in the nearby playground and mothers walking by with babies in their strollers. Young couples on dates strolled past holding hands acting as if they were the only ones in the world.   
  
I think this is my favorite place in the park. Kaya's is the carousel.  
  
It's okay here, I guess.  
  
I always liked coming here to watch the ducks even before Kaya was born. I think I would like to come back as a duck at this lake after I die. It's always so peaceful and if something bad happens you can always just fly far, far away.  
  
I wouldn't want to be a duck.  
  
Why is that?  
  
You'll probably end up as pate.  
  
I never thought of that, she chuckled.   
  
Kaya came running up to them and grabbed another piece of bread from the bag. Come with me Mr. Pineapple. Let's feed the ducks first and then you can push me on the swings.  
  
You're one bossy little brat, he sighed.   
  
Go ahead, Tsukushi smiled looking out across the water. She watched the pair amble towards the edge of the water while Kaya recited all the names she had bestowed upon the ducks. She rested her head on her knees and looked out into the distance.   
  
_Why do you always come here? Rui asked plopping himself down beside her on the grass.  
  
I just like coming here to watch the ducks, I guess.  
  
Nothing very interesting.  
  
Sometimes I think to myself that I'm just like them.  
  
I could see that.  
  
How is that? She turned her head to the side and peered at him through her hair that had fallen over her face.  
  
You're kind of like the ugly duckling, I guess.  
  
Are you saying I'm ugly?  
  
No. I'm just saying that you always used to think of yourself as something beneath everyone else. You always seemed to hate everything about yourself and look so insecure. Over time I've seen you change. You've become the beautiful swan and are finally starting to adjust into seeing the swan you've become. You're stronger than most girls.  
  
I wish I could agree with you on that.  
  
So what did you want to tell me?  
  
Something has happened that can't be changed. I don't want to tell you this to make you feel guilty or anything. I've accepted that we juts don't work together. You love someone else that I could never be. It wasn't fair to you or me that she had your heart and I had everything else. I don't want this to sound selfish. When I tell you what I have to say I don't want you to make any promises to me out of pity.  
  
  
  
Do you really ove this other woman you say you do? I mean. she is the one. The one you've always saved that part of yourself for. Does she make you happy?  
  
She is the one. She's always been the one, he smiled.  
  
Good I just needed to know that. Remember those feeligns for her after what I'm about to tell you. This isn't mean to be a reason to trap you back with me, but you need to know this.  
  
What's wrong? Does this have to do with your visit to the doctor? Is everything alright? I thought you said it was just the flu.   
  
It's not the flu. It's something more serious.  
  
Tell me what it is.  
  
I'm pregnant. With that said she stood up and brushed the grass off of her jeans. She didn't want to stop to see the look on his face fearing that whatever emotions he would be displaying would induce her to accept his offer to do the right thing. Don't even say it, Rui. My mind is made up and I'm doing this alone. She turned to walk away, but stopped a few steps away from him and looked up at the sky. Right now I wish I could be one of those ducks. I just want to fly far, far away. EM Forster was right. __I would rather be a coward than brave because people hurt you when you are brave.  
  
  
  
  
_Tsukushi picked herself of the ground and turned around to see Tsukasa pushing Kaya on the swings. Putting on a big smile, she tossed the rest of the contents of the bag into the air creating a shower of breadcrumbs to fall into the water. The ducks dove down into the cool water hoping to snatch the remnants of food floating at the top.   
  
Mama! Can we get ice cream now? Kaya pointed to the distance at the man passing by in the truck ringing a bell. It seemed like a mob was chasing after the poor guy.  
  
Tsukushi nodded as she felt her heart jump into her throat at the sight of Kaya jumping off the swing on the middle of the upswing.  
  
Tsukasa muttered under his breath. He ran forward and caught her in the air before she fell onto the ground.  
  
How many times do I have to tell you that's dangerous?! Tsukushi scolded as she took the little girl form Tsukasa's arms. One day you're going to fall and crack your head open. Why do you always do that? You almost gave Tsukasa a heart attack.  
  
she mumbled. It almost feels like I'm flying when I jump off. Don't be mad.  
  
  
  
Can we still get ice cream?  
  
I really shouldn't, but since it's so hot today I'll let what happened slide. Don't do that ever again, okay?  
  
She nodded her head.   
  
You sit on this bench with Tsukasa while I go get the ice cream. She shook her head holding her hand over her heart waiting for the erratic beating to cease.   
  
You made a nice catch, Kaya proudly stated as she turned to Tsukasa who was very much wishing he didn't get stuck with the kid.   
  
Tsukasa could only his head in disbelief. He absentmindedly rubbed the sore part of his abdomen where Kaya's foot had lodged itself into moments ago. Children were always too much trouble. Realization dawned upon him on why perhaps his parents had chosen to have him and his sister taken care of by nannies, maids, and butlers. In comparison, Kaya's antics rivaled those of an angel. Vaguely he recalled one nanny's reference to him being demon spawn.   
  
he crookedly smiled.   
  
He leaned back against the cold hard bench and watched Tsukushi walk towards the ice cream man. Stealthily she weaved through the children making sure not to knock them over in the confusion. When she finally managed to get to the window, she smiled towards the elderly man placing her order mouthing thanks as she was handed three ice cream cones. Her attention was taken away when a little boy probably about the age of seven stood besides her clutching a handful of change counting the total. His face fell at the realization that he would not have enough. Without being asked, Tsukushi took her own cone and handed it to him. Seeing his face light up, she ruffled his hair and waved goodbye at him as he ran back up to catch up with his small group of friends. Taking the other two cones from the seller she walked back towards them.  
  
Here you go, baby. Just try not to get it all over your clothes, she gently chided.  
  
Thank you! Kaya eagerly lunged for the ice cream and happily set about lapping up the mixture of chocolate and cream. A small murmur of contentment slipped from her lips as her small tongue darted out catching the melting dessert in her hand.   
  
I wasn't sure what flavor you liked, so I got you a vanilla cone. I thought I might as well play it safe. She crouched down besides them and held up the ice cream cone towards Tsukasa while taking a tissue form her purse to wipe away from Kaya's chin. Take it before it melts all over my hand.  
  
Naw, you can have it. I saw you give yours away to that kid.  
  
It's okay. I wasn't really in the mood for ice cream anyway. A hero deserves a reward anyway.  
  
He took the melting confection from her hand and licked around the winding swirl. He smiled realizing that the ice cream was actually pretty good.   
  
I told you there would be perks to hanging around with me. She stood up and reached out a hand to Kaya. I think we should go. It's getting a little too hot out here and I didn't bring any sunscreen. I don't want to deal with the a nasty sun burn later.  
  
Where are you dragging me now? Tsukasa grudgingly asked even though he was vaguely intrigued with where she would take him next.   
  
Anywhere and everywhere.   
  
---------------------------------   
  
Hey, I thought we all have the next three days off? Why are we here?  
  
Don't get all upset for nothing. I just stopped by to drop make sure that Akira stopped by to make the bank deposit. He told me he would leave the slips in the office. I just came to make a quick check. Tsukushi ignored his further protests about being tricked into working and closed the office door behind her.   
  
Kaya ran up on stage twirling around the stage and swinging around the pole set off to stage right. She jumped down the stairs and grabbed Tsukasa's hand tugging him to seat himself at a small table placed in the center of the floor facing the stage. I'm going to sing for you. After making sure he would remain in the seat she had designated for him, she leapt back onto the stage and grabbed one of the mics left on the piano.   
  
Tsukasa watched the free performance of made up songs Kaya actually enjoying watching her doing moves mimicking those of Yuuki, Shizuka, and Sakurako. She had probably spent her most of her afternoons watching those three rehearse. It was amazing how she could repeat verbatim all the words to Lady Marmalade. At the end of her rather loud rendition of the pop hit she took a low bow and motioned for him to come closer.   
  
Come play the piano with me.  
  
I'll just watch.  
  
No, I want you to come play with me, she stomped her foot in consternation at not having her demand met. Her face turned into a scowl.   
  
Fine, fine. I'll just sit here and watch. He pulled himself up onto the stage and followed her to sit on the space next beside her on the piano bench. Looking down towards their feet he noticed how she was not yet able to reach the pedals.   
  
Kaya thrust the lid open and pushed her hands out in front of her bending her hands as if she were cracking her knuckles. Straightening her posture, she lifted her tiny hands in the air and let them fall hard onto the keys. For such small hands, it was surprising the amount of strength she had to pound on the heavy ivory keys forcing out what resembled Old MacDonald.   
  
Not being able to take much more of the torture, Tsukasa cupped his hands over hers before she could pound mercilessly on the poor instrument. How about I play and you sing? he suggested.   
  
You know how to play the piano? she asked wide eyed in fascination.  
  
I know a little. So what do you want to hear?  
  
Can you play Mary Had a Little Lamb?  
  
He scratched his head trying to reacquaint himself with the keys in front of him trying to figure out which keys made would make what chords. It was one of those moments where he wished he had paid more attention during all those piano lessons his mother forced him to attend. Let me see if I can remember. It's been a long time since I last played. He tentatively extended a finger to strike one of the keys listening to the soft timbre of the sound come out. I think I've got it.   
  
His fingers slid across the cool keys as the simple melody echoed through the room. The slightly high pitch of Kaya's voice carried well in tune with the music.   
  
Tsukushi stepped out of the office locking the door behind her to see Kaya on stage holding a mic to her mouth singing the nursery rhyme without a care in the world. Her smile just radiated from her in finding the sheer pleasure of the music and her voice. She smiled to herself remembering a time once when singing held the same carefree joy for her as it did for her child now. There was just something so liberating and freeing about the act itself. It was as if the world could see and hear into your very soul. She stepped out into the hall and clapped as Kaya came to an end and took one long low bow.   
  
Wow! That was good.  
  
Thank you very much, the little girl cockily grinned as she climbed back onto the piano bench. You play really good, too. She patted Tsukasa's shoulder in approval. You play almost better than Papa.  
  
That was a mean Mary Had a Little Lamb, Tsukushi nodded in agreement. You can play the piano?  
  
He nervously moved his hands away from the keys and rested them on his knees. Yeah, I learned to play a little when I was a kid. I can mostly get out a few nursery rhyme songs, but that's about as far as it goes, he lied.  
  
I can probably only play a few songs myself, she agreed not seeing his obvious nervousness. Do you think you could do me a favor?  
  
  
  
I noticed the taps were empty. Could you?  
  
I knew there was going to be some trick about dragging me to work. You want me to refill the taps, right?  
  
Well, seeing as how you would have had to do it when we came back to work anyway I thought you might as well do it now. Please? she toothily smiled trying to sway him over.  
  
Alright, but that's all I'm doing.  
  
You know where we keep the  
  
I know. It's in the basement. I'm already on my way there, he grunted walking away.  
  
Thank you! she waved happily. Turning towards Kaya she lowered her head bump their foreheads. He's not such a bad guy, huh?  
  
I like him, Kaya chimed. He looks all cranky, but he's funny.  
  
I think so, too. So, Miss Kaya what shall we do now?  
  
I want you to play me a song now.  
  
What will it be then? Some Twinkle Twinkle Little Star or maybe a little bit of Oh Susanna?  
  
she furiously shook her head. I want you to play the song you always play!  
  
She really didn't want to play the song, but she should have seen the request coming. It was the one of the only real songs she knew how to play. It was the song that took her heart away. It was the song that he later told her made him see her for the first time.  
  
  
  
_Where's Rui? I thought he was supposed to come in today and practice. I need him to replace the last guy who bailed on me  
  
He'll be here soon, Susumu. Shizuka reassured him planting a chaste kiss on his cheek. Trust me. Rui is the best out there. You heard him yourself when we bumped into him at that piano bar. He needs some guidance and this job will do him some good.  
  
He's already been with us for the last three months and I haven't seem him take one step towards a piano. I don't want to push him into doing this.  
  
Trust me already? she giggled slapping him on the arm. He was made for a job like this.  
  
You're too persuasive for your own good, Susumu sighed to himself. Why do I let women walk all over me? He threw up his hands in disgust and walked over to Tsukushi. It's my curse to be surrounded by beautiful ladies.  
  
There he is now. Rui! Shizuka quickly scurried off the stage to greet to lanky, despondent looking youth at the doorway.   
  
Rui's the new piano player? Tsukushi timidly asked peering form behind her brother.   
  
He draped an arm around her shoulder and led her to the edge of the stage to sit down. I thought it would be good to give him a job. He's an amazing piano player, though. If things work out, he might be staying with us longer than I thought. I thought you two were becoming fast friends anyway.  
  
Friend is the farthest thing to a relationship we have. Strangers would be a better way to describe us, she sighed dejectedly. The guy hardly speaks more than two words half the time. Do you know how hard I have to work to get a complete sentence out of him? I've tried and tried to have a real conversation to him, but I think I just annoy him by talking incessantly to what seems myself. He rarely smiles or laughs or shows any kind of emotion.  
  
Give him time. From what Shizuka told me, he's had it rough. He doesn't open up to people easily. I thought you might be able to get through to him since he doesn't seem to respond well to me. Sometimes I think he doesn't like me, and I don't know why.  
  
She gripped a fist over her heart faking utter shock. What is this I hear? Someone who doesn't like the suave, charming, and devastatingly handsome Shinimori Susumu? That is unheard of!  
  
So you think I'm devastatingly handsome, huh? he smirked.  
  
No, but that's what the girls at school said when you came to pick me up the other day. One of my teachers asked if you were single? All the girls are jealous that only good-looking guys hang around me. It's already bad enough that they ask me about Rui all the time. All they ever do is follow him around flirting with him trying to get his attention. He's always surrounded by girls. It's so damn annoying.  
  
Do I see a hint of jealousy? Is my precious little sister finding her first crush? Aw, that is so cute.  
  
I do not like him, she blushed. I just find him interesting. He's just so mysterious and guarded. You know me. I'm too curious for my own good.  
  
Uh uh. Whatever you say? I see the way you stare at him sometimes. It's painfully obvious.  
  
Shut up!  
  
He drummed his fingers against the wood of the piano top. So, which one was it? Was it your hot English teacher?  
  
I'm not telling you!! You've already got Shizuka, and I doubt she'll be happy about you're said interest in the hot' teacher.  
  
Doesn't hurt to look, though?  
  
  
  
Who's a pig? Shizuka asked confused at catching the last part of the conversation.  
  
Nothing! Ya know, it's kinda late. Hey guys, you can take the rest of the night off. He waved towards Tsuyoshi and Thomas.   
  
Thanks, man. Tsuyoshi scored us some dates with a pair of twins! Can you believe it? Twins! Thomas eagerly proclaimed. He unlatched the guitar strap over his body and placed his instrument against an amp. Let's go.  
  
Yeah, thanks Susumu. The more serious of the pair slapped Susumu on the back and slid off the piano bench. I owe you one.  
  
Later guys! Susumu waved. As for you, how about we leave these two to practice? I have something I wanted to show you at home, he winked towards Shizuka.   
  
What do you have to show me?  
  
Just follow me. Trust me you'll like it, he whispered into her ear grabbing her towards him from behind. It's been awhile since we've had some alone time.  
  
Oh, I see. She pushed his wandering hands away and smiled for Rui and Tsukushi. We'll see you later at home.  
  
Remember to take your time. You know how to lock up Tsukushi! he waved as he ushered Shizuka out the door. One hand remained on Shizuka's ass signifying his intentions of what he wanted to show his girlfriend.   
  
Those two need to stop fucking like bunnies all the time, Tsukushi mumbled underneath her breath.  
  
I agree, Rui threw out.   
  
At least you're room isn't next to theirs, she sighed in disgust. I don't need to know how good my brother is in bed. Forget about it. I don't even want to think about it. How about you just play and I'll sing for a bit and then we grab some food until it's clear to go home?  
  
Rui flipped open the lid of the piano and gently stroked the keys with his fingertips beginning to play a song all his own.  
  
You are good, Tsukushi gawked in amazement. How come you never play at home?  
  
I dunno. I usually don't like to play with other people around.  
  
So, why did you agree to play at the club then?   
  
Shizuka told me that I would have to find someway to pull my weight. I also thought I would be playing for her. His fingers raced across the keys falling into a melody that resembled a current ballad he had heard off the radio.   
  
Oh. Sorry, if you're stuck with me while I practice. My singing isn't half as good as hers. Hey, I know that song. She started humming along with the tune and closed her eyes adjusting to the temp and beat. The words flowed out of hr mouth freely. When the last not died from the piano she opened her eyes to see Rui staring at her with a strange look on his face. What? Was I really that bad?  
  
No... Not at all.  
  
  
  
_Mama! Play the song! Kaya demanded. She seated herself on the floor of the stage preparing herself for the show to begin.   
  
Tsukushi took a deep breath and lowered her fingers finding that familiar rift. Her body eased as she fell was taken in by the music.   
  
Tsukasa trudged up the stairs hauling up the new kegs grunting with each step he took. It was by his own bad luck that he got tricked into doing the job. He wondered to himself if this was the real reason behind her sudden interest in him. She's manipulative.  
  
_Come notice me.  
And take my hand.  
  
_He carried his load towards the bar and stopped to take a breather. He looked up to see Kaya sitting on the floor swaying with the music enraptured by the person performing the private concert.  
  
_So why are we strangers when  
Our love is strong  
Why carry on without me?  
  
_Lonely. There was something so oddly comforting and hauntingly lonely in that voice.   
  
_And everytime I try to fly  
I fall without my wings  
I feel so small  
I guess I need you baby  
  
_Tsukushi smiled to herself feeling that small high she always got when she sang as if a burden had been lifted form her heavy heart. It was ironic how this song had began as a song that brought her a brief joy in her life. Now it had taken on its true meaning because in the end her voice wasn't enough to hold onto him. She lost to the other woman.  
  
_And everytime I see you in my dreams  
I see your face, it's haunting me  
I guess I need you baby.  
  
_Her fingers stopped as the music died under her hands. Opening her eyes she barely even realized that a streak of tears spilled out. She turned away and wiped them away hoping her daughter wouldn't notice. Turning her head out towards the bar, her gaze met Tsukasa's. She wryly smiled trying to veil her own hidden insecurities and hurt. Standing up she reached out a hand to the child, and lead them off stage. We're done here. How about we go home?  
  
-----------------------   
  
The car ride was spent in utter silence. Kaya drowsily drifted in and out of consciousness form the long day while Tsukushi kept her eyes firmly set on the road. Not much was said later when they reached the apartment and Tsukushi quickly set off to make dinner, which was also a rather somber occasion. After the dishes were washed and everyone settled in to go to bed, Kaya stood up and demanded that she wanted no one else but Tsukasa to put her to bed. Tsukushi tried to talk her out of it, but there was no use arguing with the five year old. Strangely enough, Tsukasa found himself becoming compliant with her demands. That and something in him screamed that perhaps Tsukushi deserved a break for once.   
  
Tsukushi leaned against the doorframe of Kaya's bedroom saying goodnight. She managed a small smile for her daughter and kissed the little girl on the forehead before patting her bottom to push her towards the bed. Good night.  
  
Good night Mama, Kaya yawned.  
  
She turned to walk out of the room almost bumping into Tsukasa clad in a pair of shorts and a light t-shirt. Gently patting him on the shoulder she whispered, Thanks for doing this for her.  
  
It's okay. The kid would have dragged me in here anyway.  
  
Yeah she would have, she laughed. I had fun today, and I hope you did, too.  
  
It was okay.  
  
Well, I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning. You still have two more days stuck with me. I'll crack you yet, my friend, she teased.   
  
Whatever you say, he shrugged finding himself defeated in this argument.   
  
She blew one last goodnight kiss towards Kaya and turned away walking back into her room. The last sound heard from the seemingly worn down woman was the click of her door closing.   
  
Tsukasa made his way into the room and pulled a chair next to Kaya's bed finding himself out of place in the colorful room filled with stuffed animals, plastered walls with multiple drawings, and gawdy toys strewn all over the ground. So what do I do? I've never really done anything like this before.  
  
Kaya sat upright in her bed and patted the empty spot next to her on the bed. Mama always sits here when she puts me to bed. Then she pulls out the book in the drawer and tells me a story about the pictures inside. Since you don't know any of the stories, I'll tell you one.  
  
he shrugged going along with the flow.   
  
He bent over and picked up the book resting it in her lap. His larger body shifted the weight of the mattress beneath him causing Kaya to roll closer to him. She settled herself into his chest leaning her head against his shoulder. Feeling completely at ease, she didn't notice the tension in his muscles at their close proximity. She opened the book, which to his surprise happened to be an old photo album. Her finger fell upon one of the first few pictures. It was a scene of a group of people dressed in school uniforms having a picnic lunch in the grass on campus. In the background other students lingered past probably in a rush to wherever they needed to be, but the group just smiled at him seeming as if they had all the time in the world to be young.  
  
This is a picture of when Mama was in high school. There's Papa, Akira, Soujiro, Yuuki, and Sakurako, she pointed out. They all went to the same school together. Mama said that she was always surprised that Akira and Sakurako ever managed to graduate. She also said that Papa usually skipped class, and that I should never be like him. Mama always liked school.  
  
  
  
_One, two, three!   
  
A flash sparked blinding the group for a moment. Tsukushi sat up and picked up her camera from the stand and listened to the film rewind. Okay guys, that was my last shot. She shivered a little hugging her sweater closer to her body even thought it was a perfectly warm spring day._   
  
_Are you cold, Tsukushi? Yuuki asked with a twinge of worry in her voice. You seem to have been sick for the last few weeks.  
  
Naw, I'm fine. I'm going to see the doctor today. It's probably just the flu or something. She settled herself back on the grass and poked at her open bento box. A queasy feeling settled in her stomach forcing her to put down her chopsticks and push the food away.   
  
Are you going to eat that? Akira asked already moving the uneaten lunch box towards himself.   
  
Take it.  
  
You're the best, but I think I'll be taking this to go. His eyes lingered towards one of the younger students walking by with her short skirt swaying back and forth with each bouncy step she took. Looks like I may have found a lunch date to share this with, he smirked before running off.  
  
We've gotta take off too. I've gotta do some research in the library and Jiro's got an exam to cram for next period.  
  
Fuck! I can't wait until this semester is over. I've only got to get through this last set of finals. See ya later, Tsukushi. Come one Yuuki. I need someone to quiz me.  
  
Yuuki waved as she ran off after Soujiro.  
  
Feel better, Tsukushi, Rui smiled as he bent down and kissed her warm forehead. You still feel a little warm. I'll talk to you later.  
  
Okay, Rui, Tsukushi waved watching him depart. She raised her hand to her forehead feeling the heat emanating from her. Suddenly she felt a little lightheaded and woozy. She turned to look at Sakurako who was the only person remaining. She was relatively new to the group, a new addition added on by Akira and yet to be fully accepted by the tight know group. She still seemed to act a little bit guarded and distrusting of the others.   
  
You can go too if you want. I'll clean up.  
  
No, I'll stay to help you clean up, she flatly stated. Mechanically Sakurako stood up and walked towards the garbage can disposing of the mess Akira had left behind. How long have you been sick?  
  
I think about three weeks now. This flu just won't go away.  
  
Uh huh, she nodded her head listening intently with her back turned to Tsukushi. So what kind of symptoms have you been having?  
  
In the beginning it was just a normal flu with the sneezing, coughing and a fever. Now I guess I have some nausea, dizziness, and a bit sore.  
  
That's too bad. She tossed the last of the garbage into the trash and turned around to look her in the face. Can I ask you something?  
  
  
  
What is it between you and Rui?  
  
She was taken aback by the blunt question. Rui and I both agreed to stop seeing each other. He didn't love me and I didn't want to stay in a situation where the other person didn't feel entirely the same way. I don't hold any hard feelings. I guess we were never meant to be. I think we make much better friends, though.  
  
Friends? It seems a little difficult to believe that after a guy dumps you, you still want to be friends. You're a strong person to still be able to be around someone you gave your heart to only to have it given back to you. You still love him don't you.  
  
Deep down I'll always love him, but I can;t hold onto someone who doesn't feel teh same way. I knew from the beginning I would always have to compete with this other woman that had his heart.  
  
Do you even know who this woman is? She may not even exist. He could be feeding you a bunch of shit. I think he just found someone better to fuck.  
  
He would never do that. He was never one to stay only for the physical part of the realtionship. He just wants to be wiht the one he really loves.  
  
As in not you.  
  
Rui and I were always different. I don't even see what right you have to judge us, she replied noting the small rise in her voice. You don't even know us that well.  
  
I don't, Sakurako shrugged her shoulders. But I do know one thing. Her eyes bore right through her as if trying to find something completely off about the person in front of her.  
  
And what would that be?   
  
I know that what you have isn't the flu. Believe me when I tell you this and it'll probably wear off some of the shock when you hear this later. You don't have the flu. You're pregnant.  
  
That's insane! I can't be pregnant, she hissed in a low whisper. We were always careful.  
  
She shook her head at the girl's naiveté. Take it from someone who knows. You're late and you just think to yourself it's normal to miss it. Every time you look down at your food your gut instinct is to throw up at the sight of it alone. You find yourself becoming tired during the middle of the day for no reason. There is no such thing as being 100% safe. I know for a fact, you're pregnant. From what you've said you are not willing to make him come back to you even for somethign like this. Think wisely. You may have given him a reason to go back to you. Patting her on the shoulder, Sakurako turned around and walked away.   
  
A lump rose in Tsukushi's throat as she watched the younger girl disappear. A shaky hand rose over her stomach. I can't be. It just can't be. Even if ti were true I don't want him that way. It's all or nothing.  
  
  
  
_Who's that? Tsukasa asked slightly intrigued as Kaya flipped through the pages narrating what was going on in each one. He pointed towards a picture of a man leaning against Tsukushi's Jaguar. His sunglasses were perched on his head while he carelessly leaned back with a lopsided smile on his face. Tsukasa quickly recognized the man as the one in the pictures he had seen his first day in the apartment, the mysterious blonde man. Better yet, as he liked to call him, Tsukushi's Sugar Daddy.  
  
He was Mama's brother, Susumu. This is a picture of the day he got his car. Mama drives it now.  
  
What happened to him?  
  
Kaya flipped the page to another new set of pictures. He died a few years ago. Mama doesn't like to talk much about him. She always starts to cry when she tells me stories about him. He makes her sad.  
  
  
  
Yeah, I don't like it when Mama is unhappy. She pointed out a new picture and smiled. I like this picture the best. Uncle Susumu took this picture of Mama and Papa back when they both used to live here. My room used to be Papa's room when he lived here.  
  
Tsukasa looked down at the picture to see younger versions of Rui and Tsukushi. Their heads peeked out from over the top of a small baby grand piano in what resembled a portion of the living room close the large windows leading out the balcony. The shot was obviously taken in a candid moment when the two weren't looking. Sunlight filtered into the room falling on their faces. Tsukushi sat beside Rui on the piano bench with her head contently rested on his shoulder with a secretive smile on her face. Rui's head was tilted towards her face also timidly sharing a small smile with her. It spoke volumes alone of their young love. All they saw was the other.  
  
  
_Tsukushi lazily lounged on the couch contently reading the book in front of her. She sneakily stole a glance at Rui who remained still at the piano playing a somber tune. Finally being unable to focus anymore, she snapped her book shut and sat up straight turning around to face him.   
  
All you ever do is play the piano.  
  
His fingers continued pressing the keys almost ignoring her statement. It took him a few before he responded. And all you ever do is read.  
  
she smirked. That's besides the point. We should go out and do something. Or at least you should go out, so I can enjoy some peace and quiet to read my book. Why don't you go call up Akira or Soujiro?  
  
I don't want to. I like being alone better.  
  
You're not exactly alone with me here.  
  
You're different. You're used to me being like this. If I go out with those two they'll be harassing me the entire time about how boring I am.  
  
They just don't understand. If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away._   
  
_Henry David Thoreau. I believe that's a line from Walden.  
  
Right on the mark. You're the only one who ever gets what the hell I'm saying.  
  
It's my own fault for picking up a book once in awhile. You know you love the fact that I'm the only one who can play along with your game. Plus I like you being around. You're a much better sight in my eyes than Akira or Jiro. Beauty, like wisdom, loves the lonely worshiper._   
  
_You're a big sweet talker today. Let me think. She placed a delicate finger over her lip to contemplate her answer. Oscar Wilde, The Young King.  
  
Uh huh.  
  
She rose from her position on the couch and trudged over to the space beside him on the bench. Sighing she rested her head on his shoulder. I've been wondering something? Will you honestly tell me what you think?  
  
Go ahead.  
  
What are we? What am I to you? I mean in the beginning you seemed to hate me. Now you're like me, but sometimes you just close yourself off to me. I want to know where this thing is heading because with our past track record I'm confused as hell.  
  
His body went rigid at the sound of her question. His fingers ceased to move and he leaned his head on top of hers feeling her warmth beside him. I know that I care a lot about you. I do like you, he offered as a small gesture of reassurance of her place in his life. I never want this feeling you give me to go away. You just make me feel alive. Does it really matter that much to know what will happen in the future? What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us'. He lifted her hand and placed it over his lips gently brushing his lips over her knuckles. He then pressed her palm over his heart. You make me feel like this.  
  
Tsukushi smiled at his innocent, sweet gesture to calm her worries. He didn't say exactly what she wanted, but it was good enough for her. Ralph Waldo Emerson and thank you. I just sometimes wonder what it is that makes you want to be with me. It just makes me happy to see you like this. It was like one day he came alive to me, delivered suddenly form the womb of his purposeless splendor'. I like you better when you're like this.  
  
Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby. I like me better this way, too. He gently kissed the top of her head inhaling the sweet scent of her hair. He smiled a small smile he had learned to make just for her.   
  
  
  
  
  
I think I'm falling in love with you.  
  
  
  
_Kaya had long ago fallen asleep with head nodded off to the side. Tsukasa stirred only when he felt her body wriggle on top of his. He slowly opened his eyes realizing that somewhere in the middle of her storytelling he must have nodded off to sleep. He carefully removed her head form his shoulder and took the book from her hands. Placing it back onto the nightstand, he pulled her sheets higher up tucking her in to shield her from the shiver she got from the blasting AC. he whispered to her as he turned off the lights and walked away.   
  
He tiptoes down the hall towards his room, but stopped at the room next to his. He lightly rapped the door waiting for some sign that he could enter, but was met with silence. Taking a chance he reached for the cold brass doorknob and turned it opening the door. The clock on her wall showed the late hour, but he knew that Tsukushi's erratic sleeping patterns often left her up at odd hours. The light was on giving a sign that she probably was still awake. To his surprise, he found her slumped upright on the bed with a book in her lap. Her head rested against the headboard nodding from one side to the other in what seemed to be a rather fitful sleep. Tsukasa quietly padded into the room trying hard not to awaken her. He pulled the book out of her la and gently cradled the back of her head as he pulled the rest of her body lower into the bed. She settled peacefully onto her pillow murmuring incoherencies in her sleep. His hand lingered for a moment longer than necessary running his fingers through her silky hair.   
  
She's an enigma. I don't know what she's up to or what she wants from me, but I want to know. What makes her sing the way she does? What does she hide behind her smiles?  
  
After pulling the sheets up higher around her body, he turned to place her book on the nightstand. He grabbed a pen on the table marking the page she was on and looked at the cover. War and Peace. That would be enough to put anyone to sleep, he chuckled to himself. He switched off the light and took the same careful path back out the door before shutting it.   
  
As he settled in his own bed, his mind raced. He was being drawn in by her, and it as an inevitable end they would come to. She claimed to want to know more about him and he agreed to play along with her. What she didn't realize was at the same time he wanted to know about her and was slowly gaining that access. Something about her made him feel like they were two of the same. He drifted off the sleep thinking to himself maybe it was fate that put them together. It was if the gods were pushing them together for some greater reason neither of them would ever understand. She had suffered some painful past just as he had filled with betrayal and loss. The words on the page she had left off in her book registered in his brain. In the darkness he repeated them aloud hearing the words one last time before he fell into a blissful slumber.   
  
It was a long time before she could get to sleep. She kept thinking that no one could understand all the things that she understood, and all that was in her.   
  
  
  
  
A/N: Look another chapter done! That's it for now. Wow! That's a lot of Rui-ness going on here. Hate him or love him, it's hard to tell. Now comes a long break for me cuz this is my chapter for the month. Squeezed every last drop of angst out of me. Ack! Finals in two weeks. It's pure torture. College sucks. Let me graduate already so I can become another mindless drone in the capitalist machine Either that or someone sell me the rights to Hana Yori Dango. Sigh   



	11. We Do What We Do

Disclaimer: Same as always.  
  
Chapter 11: We do what we do  
  
Tsukushi lay curled up on the living room couch, reading one of the books that she had picked up from the bookstore the previous week. It was Kaya's last week of school, so she still had a little time to enjoy her last few days of alone time. Soon the little girl with enough sugar pumping through her blood to make a diabetic cringe would be bouncing off the walls 24/7. Stretching her legs out, she sighed, content with the peaceful lull of the late morning. Placing the book down on the counter, she smiled to herself remembering the origin of how the book came to be in her possession.  
  
I have to admit that Kazuya guy is one sneaky bastard. I just can't seem to put this down.  
  
It was a constant reminder of him. She flipped onto the first page and stared down at the seven digits glaring her in the face with the neat script writing, inviting her to call him anytime.  
  
I have to give him points for knowing how to get my attention.  
  
After a few moments of pondering over reading some more, resulting in more lingering thoughts toward that mousy haired young man, she stood up and placed the book back on the shelf with the rest of her collection. Glancing around the room, she felt a little nostalgic of the surroundings. Everything in the room was just a constant nagging reminder of a different era in her life. Perhaps it was time for a change in her life. Of course, she would never go as far as to enter into a life-altering relationship affecting her child, herself, and everyone else around her. If she was going to let go of the past, it would take baby steps and she knew the first place. Her eyes stopped at the closed door down the hallway. It would all start there and with him. Progress is inevitable, so you might as well roll with it. The first step would be her new 'friend.'  
  
Tsukasa lazily rolled over in bed, liking the feel of the soft satin sheets against his naked body. Even with the air conditioning on at full blast, it wasn't enough to escape the putrid heat. As he turned onto his side to stare out the window, trying to focus on the haze that settled between the fiery orange sun and the deep blue sky, the door to his bedroom swung open.  
  
"Are you decent?" Tsukushi cheerily shouted, holding a hand over her eyes.  
  
Stumbling to pull the sheet over his waist, Tsukasa frowned. She was being rather chipper this morning. That was never a good sign.  
  
"Now I am," he grumbled.  
  
"Very good," she smiled, peeking through a slit through her fingers. Turning around she procured a few large boxes from the hallway and dropped them into the middle of the room with a thud.  
  
Tsukasa raised an eyebrow. "Are you kicking me out? Hey, I thought we agreed to try to be civil or friends or whatever that shit that Akira and Soujiro suggested."  
  
She slowly lowered herself onto the corner of the bed, making sure she did not touch any part of him, naked or covered. "Hey, I never back out of a promise. When I give my word I stick to it. We shook on not trying to kill each other anymore." Her head turned, surveying the room with a critical eye. "I was just thinking how it might be uncomfortable for you to have all this stuff in here. I was going to move all of it into storage. It would clear out more room in the closet for you and you could make yourself more at home. This is your room now. I should have done this a long time ago anyway. It's like a fucking museum in here," she wistfully smiled. "There's no use living in the past."  
  
He stared at the back of her head, trying to picture the look on her face as she spoke. Her voice quavered a bit at the last sentence. Without even realizing his actions, a tentative hand reached out and touched her shoulder. He could feel her entire body tremble at the sudden contact. "How about I help you? Those boxes might get heavy."  
  
Keeping her back facing him, she put her smaller hand over his resting on her shoulder. "That would be nice." Her bare feet shuffled against the carpet as she made a hasty exit after making a mumbled excuse about getting some trash bags and more boxes.  
  
Lifting the sheets from his body, Tsukasa stalked across the room, slipping on a pair of boxers he had thrown onto the chair. He was confused, trying to figure out some sort of rationalized answer as to why he fumbled in to comfort the woman. It was just very uncharacteristic of him to do such a thing. It was always his preference that when women fell into one of their emotional fits that he distance himself and let them sort through it on their own.  
  
Awkward. I hate that feeling.  
  
A light knock at the door met him as he wriggled into a plain white t-shirt that he had grabbed from his duffel bag underneath the bed. "Come in."  
  
"Well, it looks like we're going to have a long day cut out for us. I might as well clean out some things from my own room since you've offered your slave labor."  
  
'Who said anything about me being slave labor? I thought I would be compensated for my efforts in some way?"  
  
"Hmm. How about I take us out to dinner later?"  
  
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully at the proposal. "You've got yourself a deal," he nodded, extending a hand to shake and seal the deal.  
  
Taking back her hand, she flung the doors open to the large walk-in closet and dove into the farthest corner, pulling out hangers filled with suits, shirts, pants, and any other article of men's clothing imaginable. "And I thought we women were bad," she laughed as she laid out the outfits sealed in the garment bags. The long screech of the zipper being pulled open revealed a brand new Armani suit. "I don't even think he wore half the stuff he bought." Holding it up against Tsukasa's body, she smiled approvingly. "You were about the same size. We could get a tailor to let out the jacket and pants a little bit. You're a little bit bigger. You never know when you might need a good suit."  
  
Taking the hanger from her, he held up the suit against his body, admiring it in the mirror. "It's not half bad, but I don't think so."  
  
"Well, if you find anything else in the piles you like, just take it. I'll call Akira and Jiro over later to see if they want anything before giving the rest to goodwill."  
  
Tsukasa walked up behind her as she folded the clothing sprawled out on the floor. Picking up a box, he reached for the small piles Tsukushi folded and loaded them into the cardboard box. A small smile remained on her face as she sorted out the clothing by season and neatly folded them away. Being surrounded by his things lifted her heart a bit out of the doldrums. Quietly she hummed a tune to herself as she worked. Turning to see how Tsukasa was progressing with the pile of sweaters she threw in his direction, she burst out laughing. "What are you doing?"  
  
"What does it look like? I'm folding clothes!" he defensively yelled back. He chucked the rumpled mass in his hand into the box before laying out another shirt on the ground. His hands worked multiple folds, resembling the steps one took in making paper cranes.  
  
"Do you always fold your clothes like that?" she asked incredulously. From what she had previously noticed, Tsukasa never wore anything remotely wrinkled or unclean. "That reminds me. You never asked me for an extra key to the laundry room downstairs. What have you been doing with your dirty laundry?"  
  
"I send it out to the cleaners."  
  
"Why bother? You could always do it downstairs for free. The dryers and washing machines are really easy to use. I leave the detergent and everything in the linen closet."  
  
"I've never done laundry before."  
  
"What?! How old are you and you've never done laundry before? Didn't your mother ever teach you?"  
  
"So what if I don't know how to wash my own damn clothes? Why do something that someone else could be paid to do?!" he growled. "My mother didn't have a domestic bone in her scrawny body." The rumpled shirt remained tightly gripped in his hand before falling onto the ground in a crumpled heap. He crossed his arms over his chest and resigned himself to sit against the wall sulking. "If you're going to criticize me, then fold everything yourself."  
  
Sensing that she had hit a sore spot, she stopped laughing and picked up the shirt, smoothing out the sleeves. "I didn't mean to laugh at you. Honestly, I didn't learn to do my own laundry until after I had Kaya. I'm not much for domestic work myself. Tama taught me how to cook and clean a little. The rest I just figured out myself."  
  
His resentment was not easily appeased. He hated to be laughed at, but then again he couldn't outright defend his lack of skills due to the fact that he was waited on hand and foot by a personal staff of thirty maids. That would surely raise her suspicions at his presumed status of a street urchin.  
  
"Watch me," she gently suggested, talking to him in a voice that a mother uses with a young child. "First you smooth out all the wrinkles by laying it flat out. Then you fold the two sleeves in like this and fold the bottom up. Voila!"  
  
She tossed him a polo shirt and instructed him to do as she had just done. After a few failed attempts he triumphantly held up a perfectly folded shirt. "I got it!"  
  
"Good, now you can fold the other twenty over there."  
  
The smile on his face fell. "Crap."  
  
"My mother was never much of a stay-at-home house wife," she nonchalantly stated, as if she were talking to herself. "She was more the socialite. It was always about spending days at the spa, ordering the latest designs from Italy and France, and most importantly, the parties. She always told me it was more important for a lady to learn to order the maids to do the work rather than learn to do it yourself. She was too scared of chipping a nail doing menial labor."  
  
"You had maids?" He was rather shocked by her little tirade over her mother's lack of housewife skills. It was the haunting fact that her description fit his mother perfectly.  
  
"You haven't figured out anything yet, have you? I thought you would have gone through the stuff in this room and that is why you never asked."  
  
"I'm not some kind of thief going through other people's things."  
  
"You have more self-control than I do. I would have ransacked the place for information," she half laughed.  
  
She pushed herself off the ground and sauntered towards the nightstand, and opened the drawer. She pulled out the familiar wristwatch that Tsukasa had found the first day in the room and tossed the watch at him. "Whose name is engraved inside of it?"  
  
He turned the watch over and traced his fingers over the characters. "Shinimori."  
  
"That name used to have more meaning, a name signifying money. It was a family that had established itself in investing in oil refineries all over the world. Did you ever hear of Shinimori Koishijiro, the oil tycoon?"  
  
"Sort of."  
  
She settled herself next to him against the wall and took the watch from his hand, pulling it over her tiny wrist and clasping it on. "He was my father."  
  
"I thought your last name was Makino."  
  
"You've got me there. You have been paying attention, haven't you? All this time I thought you were too self-absorbed to care about anything or anyone else."  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Sorry, let me get back to the point. My real father's last name was Makino. Shinimori-san was my stepfather. He was a good man. We were dirt poor from what little I can remember, but to a child money and wealth really has no meaning. We lived in a tiny little apartment with one large room where we slept, ate, and lived. The only bathroom on the floor was shared by three other families."  
  
"Sounds like a dump."  
  
"It probably was."  
  
"So what happened?"  
  
"My real father died when I was about five. I still remember how my mother woke me up in the middle of the night and dragged me down to the hospital. It was rather stupid how he died. He was leaving the office late after staying to do some overtime. He was probably overexerted and half asleep walking to the bus stop. The driver of the car showed blood alcohol levels that showed no sign of real coherency. It was a DUI." Tsukushi clapped her hands together, breaking the deathly silence. "Sometimes I think to myself what it looked like. . . That moment of instant realization that you're going to be hit and nothing in the world can save you. I can only guess what his last thoughts were before the hundreds of pounds of steel slammed into his fragile body."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"What are you sorry for? You weren't the one driving. No one could have known what was going to happen. I barely even remember him now. His face, his voice, they're all but vague memories that I have. All the man ever left behind for me was a few happy memories and life insurance equaling a few thousand dollars. My mother became obsessed. She was always on the selfish side from the beginning. Part of the reason she married my father was because he was a computer programmer. She thought he showed promise and would make a fortune with the technology wave. It was the Internet boom around the time he died. He was one step away from completing a program that ended up making millions. He was the primary programmer of Tsumaki."  
  
Although she wasn't looking at him as she spoke, Tsukasa's face visibly paled.  
  
Tsumaki? It can't be. Tsumaki was invented under the Doumyouji Corporation. It's one of the reasons why we hit the mark entering the top 25 wealthiest corporations in the world. That database program is used in every single office in the world as the standard system. With that program we set the bar for the competitors in database mining.  
  
"Did you know that program is used worldwide as the protocol database system all over the world? You would think the mind who invented it would have made millions. He was young and probably too involved with the love of his job to realize that the people he was working for were just using him. It was his baby, named after his own child. All the work he did was under the name of the company he worked for, the Doumyouji Corporation. For all the work he had done, they provided a small death pension and a typed memo of condolences. 'His contributions to the Doumyouji Corporation will be sorely missed'," she sneered. "He made them millions. They gave him shit."  
  
Tsukasa swallowed the lump in his throat. All those times it had always been nothing more than a piece of paper bearing some vague words he barely stopped to process. They were cold and unfeeling, but when you run a mass multinational corporation, one death will not stop the cogs in the corporate machine. The pensions were a whole other joke for that matter. His employees were like lab rats running in the wheels until exhaustion took over, taking their lives, all for a greater good, his own personal good. They funded his new Mercedes every year, the trips to Aspen in the winter, the whole fucking disgustingly luxurious lifestyle he had been raised in. The blood, sweat and tears of others allowed him to peacefully slumber on the king-sized bed in a room out of the hundred rooms of his mansion. Disgust. The acidic bile-like taste rose in his mouth.  
  
"Within a year we had used up all of our funds. That same year my mother remarried. Not for love, not for convenience, but purely for money. She always said that the second time around she would make sure she would be taken care of."  
  
"She?"  
  
"Yeah, I was just a leftover accessory from a failed marriage. I was an accident. At the same time, I was the pawn in her intricate game to seduce men. Older men will always fall for a pretty face, a young mother struggling to support herself and her child. Sadly enough Shinimori-san was her victim. He was always kind to me. Although he was wealthy, he believed in living a good life. When he married my mother, he adopted me as his own daughter, but allowed me to keep my father's last name out of respect. He offered us the world, asking for nothing more than our love in return. I grew to love him as much as my own father. With my new father I also got a new brother, Susumu. This was his watch." Absentmindedly, she picked at the nonexistent lint on the pants laying in her lap. "I overheard Kaya telling you about him yesterday. . . Do you have any siblings?"  
  
"Yeah, an older sister, Tsubaki," he found himself grinning. In his mind, he could faintly hear her shrill voice as she screamed at him to get his act together before launching a practiced kick into his stomach. "She was a real bitch, but I knew she acted that way 'cause she cared."  
  
"Then you must know what it's like to have the protective older sibling. Even though we weren't blood, Susumu treated me as if we were really brother and sister. I rarely saw him over the time his father and my mother were married. He spent most of his time away at school. It was his own choice and my mother's greatest victory that he never came home except for family functions. It wasn't until Shinimori-san died that things kind of went downhill. He was rich, but little did the world know his investments were all failing and that his company was barely above filing chapter 11 bankruptcy." She paused briefly, recalling the downward destructive spiral she and her mother faced after finding that once again their provider had left them with nothing. "  
  
"What about your mother?"  
  
"I wouldn't even call her that after what she did. I was one of the few lucky ones that had somewhere to go. Susumu took me in, but that's a story for another time. Tsukushi's brief lapse of reminiscence ended as quickly as it began and the walls were built up again. "We should hurry up. I have to pick Kaya up at school in an hour."  
  
Taking that as his cue to leave her be, he quietly continued folding the pile of shirts next to him.  
  
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Tsukasa picked up the last of the boxes and placed it in the corner with the rest of the stacks. Tsukushi had left a few minutes ago to pick up Kaya at school. It was weird. Maybe it was karma or some sick twist of fate. Everything was slowly coming back to bite him in the ass.  
  
All those times I just signed the papers in front of me. I never once stopped to read them. It was always a matter of form 10-A, sign on the left and date, form T-10, sign and initial on the lower right corner. They were just meaningless words to me. Everyone gets the same contract with enough legal jargon to leave anyone confused. That was the plan all along anyway. Work for the Doumyouji family and sign away your soul. This shit hits a little too close to home for me.  
  
Deciding to take a break, he dusted his pants off and walked out the room. A cold beer would help clear his mind. The best time to think about anything with depth was through the delightful feeling of inebriation. Everything just seems so much better through those foggy, blurry glasses of drunkenness. He helped himself on the couch and tossed his head back, taking a long swig. The cool liquid slid down his throat, alleviating that small nagging headache in his mind. Suddenly the inner confines of the apartment were becoming a little too much for him. Seeking some fresh air, he grabbed his keys and walked out the door.  
  
It's strange how you always spend your entire life complaining about how much you wish you had more free time to do this or that. It's a sick joke that we always desire that elusive free time, but when we finally reach that goal we're lost. I knew that all those hours spent in management courses at college would come in handy. I am a victim of "goal behavior." Now that I've finally discovered this free time, I don't want it anymore. I want anything but this torturous unknown. Fuck, I'll even take sitting in that office on the fiftieth floor, on my ass yelling into the speakerphone for the videoconference to London. Yep, I'm bored out of my mind.  
  
Tsukasa meandered down the rather desolate streets, trying to find anything to do to get his mind off the little tidbits he had gathered from Tsukushi earlier. In a way, what happened to Tsukushi wasn't his fault. It was the work of his parents that screwed her over. Then again, he was their offspring and his name carried the guilt that went along with the crime. Nothing mattered now. As far as he was concerned, the day he left was the day he left behind the Doumyouji name.  
  
His gaze wandered to the building his legs stopped in front of. His body instantly shuddered at the realization of where he stood. Twenty paces and he would be back inside of the box. When and how he got there was a mystery to him. All he knew was that he now was teetering on that threshold of life and death. There were two choices to take. One, he could storm inside and take back his rightful place at the top of the corporate hierarchy. Two, he could turn around and walk far, far away pretending like he had no idea what kind of things went on inside that building.  
  
All it took was one deep breath and he walked forward slamming open those doors. All heads turned around to look at the loud intruder. When they saw the man dressed in nothing more than a simple t-shirt and jeans, they redirected their attentions to the prior conversations and activities they had engaged themselves in. Tsukasa took no notice of their disinterest in him and marched right up to the counter slamming his fist down.  
  
"Give me a beer."  
  
So what if I'm a coward? All those years I spent in school taught me to not be an idiot.  
  
In all honesty, he had the intentions to walk through those giant glass doors of the office. However, his feet had a different idea and took twenty steps to the left, away from those doors, and led him in front of the bar next door. Those damn feet had a mind of their own.  
  
His head turned from side to side, taking in his surroundings. Everyone around him was obviously from the office next door. There were the tell- tale signs everywhere to indicate who their employer was. It was that zombie look he knew all too well. After spending all of his high school and college years interning at the office, he could spot a Doumyouji employee from a mile away. All the signs were around him. The dark rings under their eyes, the opened top buttons of their shirts and loosened neckties around the neck, that dazed look, and of course the little hunched-over and huddled position. They were the kind of people that looked like they were hoping for some righteous person to put them out of their misery. He could tell they were nearing the end when they got the shakes, like the guy next to him that spilled more of his beer than drank it every time he held the shaky glass to his lips.  
  
"What happened to you, Hiro? I heard you got called in to see the boss man."  
  
"I'm so fucked!" a twenty-something man cried out, sobbing into the bowl of peanuts in front of him. "Do you know the Makimachi account?"  
  
"Yeah. The merger was supposed to take place today. Weren't you in charge of finalizing the contracts and having them delivered to be signed yesterday?"  
  
"That's the one!" he wildly waved his hand around. His face fell to the counter with a loud thud. It was either he was completely pissed drunk out of his mind or depression that allowed him to ignore the pain and continue. "My wife had the baby yesterday."  
  
"Congratulations!" his companion yelled, slapping him heartily on the back. "Shouldn't you be at the hospital with your wife and baby right now?"  
  
"I would if I had the guts to face my wife and tell her I just got canned. How can I explain to her that I got fired because yesterday when I was supposed to hand deliver the contracts to the Makimachi Corporation, I chose to give the job to my secretary, Naru, and meet my wife at the hospital to see the birth of my child. I should have known better than to let someone else do my job."  
  
"Did she forget to drop off the contracts?"  
  
"No. She got there on time and early, too."  
  
"So what was the problem?"  
  
"Doumyouji-san was there."  
  
"Shit! So he fired you for not being the one to hand deliver the contracts?"  
  
"No. Naru called me at the hospital like I told her to right after she dropped off the contracts. She said that Doumyouji-san was there when she left and that he was fine with her delivering the paperwork. He even invited her out for a drink to celebrate the birth and the merger."  
  
"So why did he change his mind and fire you?"  
  
"This morning I got a call into the President's office. His wife was there and she handed me my pink slip. She said that because I did not do my job as I was supposed to, she could not tolerate it. When I went to my desk to go pack my things and ask Naru what happened, I found her desk cleared too. I've tried calling her home to see what happened, but she hasn't been answering her phone. I don't know what happened."  
  
"That's rough."  
  
"Do you know how expensive it is going to be to pay for all those hospital and doctor's bills? I have no job and I just spent most of our savings on buying the new house. Now that I've lost my job I have no income and no medical insurance. I'm beyond fucked."  
  
"Sorry," his companion patted a reassuring hand on his back. Although the look on his face was sympathetic to his friend's plight, you couldn't mistake that trace of relief that at least he had had saved his own ass and dodged the bullet.  
  
Tsukasa turned his attention away from the broken man. He couldn't bear to look any longer, and in some way was glad no one would recognize him as a Doumyouji. With his past position in the company, he had spent most of his time locked away on the top floor office, away from the minions. His parents were the figureheads for the press. In a way, it was a blessing he stayed in the shadows.  
  
The moment he heard the little tale, he knew what had happened. It was all too common for secretaries to mysteriously disappear from the office after bumping into his father. They probably had a nightcap followed by a romp in one of the local hotels. By now, Tsukasa knew better that his mother had eyes everywhere. All it would take was one of her informants following him to make the call and the poor hapless girl would be gone. Sometimes he wondered to himself where they all went. By now his father had accumulated enough liaisons to fill up their entire mansion, and then some.  
  
It would be funny to think that there are enough to form some sort of weird harem out on one of our islands in the Mediterranean. The lucky ones get away with maybe some public humiliation, a ruined reputation on the eastern hemisphere, and don't forget the blackmail to hurt their loved ones. That's the real kick in the ass. The not so lucky ones. . . I don't even want to think about it.  
  
It was also a well-known fact that his mother liked to take out her anger on the men that hired the secretaries. It was like a distribution of the blame on part of her husband's wandering hands, mouth, eyes, and a certain other body part. The poor scapegoats never saw it coming. They were all the same nameless faceless people to him, singing the same old song thousands of men before them had sung. It hurt like hell the fact that now was the first time he was seeing a guy who had a story to him and a face that was right in front of his own.  
  
Guilt sucks.  
  
Feeling thoroughly disgusted with himself, the small buzz from the amount of beers he had managed to consume in the last 15 minutes all went to waste. He pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and threw a twenty down on the counter, hoping to forget all that was said and heard. It seemed that everybody had some pathetic sad tale to tell, like it was a contest to see who was cursed with the most dismal existence. He, for one, could never complain. Money is what kept him safe and sound away from all this newfound guilt and brutal reality. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to go home to his own room in the mansion on the big hill, to bundle himself in the superficial world of greed, power, and status.  
  
His life was a current dichotomy of sorts. On one part, he was the spoiled rich boy that wanted nothing more than to run home to mommy, his mansion, cars and endless limit of credit cards. On the other hand, he had oddly found himself living the life of "real" people. It's funny how he had managed to fall from one circle into another with little difficulty. It's beside the point that his first week out he felt like he would die on the street after realizing he had spent more than half of the money in his wallet. It was worse when he broke down and used the ATM. He was weak, but in his own weakness and fall into oblivion, he had managed to get through somehow.  
  
"Keep the change," he muttered to the bartender behind the counter foolishly trying to scrub the stains out of wood. "Try using some lemon and bleach," he suggested.  
  
Smoothing out the wrinkles in his shirt, he rose to walk out the door back into the bright light of the late afternoon. However, something stopped him halfway to the door.  
  
If my parents won't do the right thing, I will. Screw karma. I'm going to fix what damage I can now. Akira and Tsukushi helped me, so I guess it's all a matter of my turn.  
  
As much of a stupid idea as it was, something had to be done. He walked out the door and headed for the bank across the street.  
  
"I hope this still works," he muttered to himself. He punched in the familiar code that probably had been imbedded into his brain from the countless number of times he found himself with empty pockets.  
  
It was a long walk down the long strip, stopping at every ATM possible to gather the amount of cash he needed at the moment. By the time he had finished, the small plastic bag he had procured was brimming with cash. There was no way he would be arrested for taking obscene amounts of money out of his own bank account. All he could hope for was that the poor schmuck would still be alive and drowning his sorrows in the bar.  
  
By chance, he was still there. His friend was still pitifully trying to console him, while he downed another shot. Now was the perfect time. Kicking his briefcase out from underneath the chair, Tsukasa snapped it open and shoved the bag into it with a small note attached. It was anonymous, but to the point, bearing the simple words, "Someone once helped me, so now I'm helping you."  
  
"Come on. I'll drive you home."  
  
"H.o.me?" a slurred voice asked. He stumbled out of the seat, grasping onto his friend's shoulder for support. "God kill me now!"  
  
"Yeah, I don't think we're all that lucky. You just need to sleep this off."  
  
"Let me help you," Tsukasa eagerly offered, grabbing the suitcase and helping haul the drunkard out of the establishment.  
  
"Thanks. The poor guy has had a rough day."  
  
After helping the man into his friend's car, Tsukasa watched the car drive away in the distance. For once things were looking up. Good had been done. Maybe this was why Tsukushi and Akira helped him. The euphoric feeling of helping someone was in a way fulfilling. He just learned something new about himself.  
  
Hmm. I do have a conscience.  
  
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"Are you going to be okay here?" Tsukushi warily asked as her vision grazed across the empty apartment. Rui languidly leaned against the open fridge as if looking for something that would suddenly jump out at him and say "eat me."  
  
Kaya emphatically nodded her head up and down. "Yep!"  
  
"Well, okay. Remember if you need anything you can call Mama's cell phone. I don't care if it's four in the morning, I'll come get you."  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
"I want you to listen to your father and be a good girl, okay?"  
  
"Geez. Don't be so paranoid, Tsukushi. I have taken care of her on my own before," Rui sighed as he popped his head over the fridge door. "Kaya's always good when she's with me. Do you know our kid? Look at her."  
  
Kaya innocently sat on the windowsill by the window overlooking the rooftops of the neighboring apartment buildings. Her small legs dangled over the edge while she sang some song that made absolutely no sense. She lightly smiled, watching the birds fly through the blue sky and continued singing to herself.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm more worried about you than her. Are you sure you can handle her on such short notice? Maybe I should take her home with me and bring her back tomorrow to spend the night."  
  
"You can go now, Tsukushi," Rui yelled back, exasperated by the hour-long lecture he had to endure prior to this long farewell between mother and daughter.  
  
"I still can't believe that the school cancelled the rest of the week on account of this weather."  
  
"Well, it's cruel to lock up a bunch of kids in a building without AC."  
  
"You're right. I expect you two at the apartment at noon tomorrow. We need to go over the plans for the club next week."  
  
"Gotcha." Rui sprung up from behind Tsukushi who seemed to have locked their daughter in a vice-like grip, afraid of letting go. "You've got to let her go sometimes, Tsukushi," he whispered into her ear. "It's only for one night. How are you going to do it when I take her away for two weeks next month?"  
  
"I know. It's just hard for me to do this. I'm too used to waking up with her in the morning and saying 'goodnight' each night. The apartment feels so empty without her at night."  
  
"How do you think I feel every time I drop her off at your place and come home to this quiet place?"  
  
"You're right. I'm not being fair," she shrugged. "You can borrow her, but I want her back in one piece," she laughed.  
  
"I know. If she doesn't come back the same you'll tear me limb from limb. Did you bring her bathing suit?"  
  
"Yeah. You do realize that she's only five?"  
  
"So?"  
  
"Well she's still young and plenty of parents bathe with their children. You do know it's perfectly acceptable?"  
  
"I don't care what people say. Something about a naked little girl and me makes me uncomfortable. I don't want to be seen as a child molester. My clothes stay on while she wears the bathing suit in the tub."  
  
"You're odd."  
  
"No I'm not."  
  
"I do recall you not having a problem sharing a shower with me."  
  
"Oh yeah. That's different. I never knew you were such a pervert to think about stuff like that anyway."  
  
"Damn! I've been spending too much time around Akira and Sakurako."  
  
"You know you're still cute when you blush like that."  
  
"Ass."  
  
The sudden mirth in his face faded for a second, bearing signs of seriousness. "I guess this actually might work. It's been a long time since we've been able to be this way. The way we used to be."  
  
Tsukushi cupped his cheek with her palm, forcing him to look into her eyes. "I'm trying. It'll take small steps, but I think we can go back. It won't ever be the exact same way, but we can try," she weakly smiled. "We promised ourselves we could do this. We can be friends."  
  
----------------------------------  
  
Tsukushi left Rui's apartment with a heavy heart. After twenty minutes of Rui's pushing her out the door and three checks to see if Kaya had all her things, she found herself walking away alone. She had to be brave. If not for herself, then she had to be for Kaya. It wasn't exactly the first time she had left Kaya alone with Rui, but it was the first time she would stay with him overnight. They were taking the baby steps in an attempt to console her worries about her spending those two weeks in Atami with him.  
  
"It's not like she's going to be gone for a year," she mumbled to herself.  
  
Seeing as how it was still early and feeling rather gloomy, she decided to stay out a bit longer for a little pick me up. For now, she just wanted to wallow in her own panic attack. Somehow her legs carried her away from the towering condominium and towards the shopping district. She barely even noticed the tinkling of the bell over the entrance to the bookstore. In a dejected and defeated sort of way, she ordered her coffee and slumped down into one of the couches. Her body melded with the marshmallow-like cushions swallowing up her petite frame. Just for a few minutes, she would have some peace and quiet to clear her head.  
  
"I didn't think I would see you around here?" a voice asked, sitting down beside her.  
  
She slowly opened her tired eyes and allowed her head to loll to the side, taking in the man beside her. Concerned honey-colored eyes stared right back at her.  
  
"Hi. I just stopped by to take a little rest." With that said, she proceeded to close her eyes once more and listen to the soothing sound of pages of books being turned and the light aroma of coffee beans in the air. "You have a very bad habit of interrupting people when they come here to escape."  
  
"You know I was hoping I would see you here again? Have you reconsidered my question?"  
  
"Don't get ahead of yourself. I don't get it. Is the bookstore a new pick up place for guys or something?"  
  
"Sshh! If you say that out loud everyone will learn my secret." Kazuya rested his chin on his arm spread out on the back of the couch. He put on one of those sad, pathetic 'please take me home' looks on his face. "Come on, give me a little credit here? I usually take my business to the supermarket," he smirked. "Then again none of the women here pale in comparison to the market."  
  
"Flattery will get you nowhere with me."  
  
"And your indifference won't get anywhere with me either."  
  
"Touche."  
  
"Can I ask you something?"  
  
"If it's the same question you've been using previously, my answer is still the same."  
  
"Nope. I've got you there. This is actually a professional question."  
  
"Shoot."  
  
"How do you do it?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Where do you get the ideas for the stuff you write? I've been practicing at this for the last six years and I still have got nothing close to you. Sometimes I don't think it's fair that I'll spend the rest of my days trying to get to the level you're on while you go off and just drop it like your talents are no big deal. In a way, I'm a little jealous. It's just the way you describe the characters, the settings, and those undeniable raw emotions you evoke. It's all just so. . ."  
  
"Real?" she arched an eyebrow.  
  
"Yeah, real."  
  
Tsukushi pushed herself up to sit straight and turned towards him. "Because it all is, in some form or another. I don't try to put on the façade of being the angst-stricken starving artist or the dreamer wanting to write the next great novel of our generation. I write what I know."  
  
"Then you know a lot more than me, I suppose."  
  
"I'm just an old soul trapped in a young body. You should be glad you're still growing up. If only I had that luxury."  
  
He shrugged his shoulders, not really grasping the truth in her words. "My mother always said, 'You're only as old as you feel'."  
  
"Well, I must be a hundred then," she sighed, rubbing her tired eyes.  
  
"I'm hungry," he said to himself. "I could go for a little snack right about now."  
  
"Okay, I guess I'll see you around." She stood up to grab her purse, looking out towards the door. "I should get going, too." She began to proceed towards the door, but was stopped by a hand wrapped around her wrist, tugging her backwards.  
  
"I think you could use a little something too," Kazuya knowingly smiled. "It'll be my treat."  
  
"I don't know." She shuffled her feet against the ground like a little kid kicking some invisible rock.  
  
He proceeded to drag her out of the establishment, ignoring her screams of protest. "More walking and less talking. I'm hungry."  
  
------------------------------  
  
She dug her heels in the sand, watching them make two fine lines in the unmarred ground. Her hands gripped tighter to the chains by her side as her body swayed back and forth in a smooth pendulum motion. Strands of hair whipped in her face as the horizon fell and dropped in front of her with each upward and downward rise and fall. Slowly, she lifted her legs up, steadying her balance to stand on the thin piece of plastic she had used as a seat. Her legs straightened as she stood upright on the swing, watching the world rise and fall. A feeling of liberation and exhilaration filled her heart with the rush of balancing herself on the ride.  
  
Kazuya ran up the hill holding two bags in his hands, gasping to catch his breath. He felt a lump catch in his throat as he watched the woman suddenly jump off mid-swing. She gracefully fell to the ground with a soft thud in front of him and bent over to peer into the bags that slipped out of his fingers.  
  
"I'm a little hungry now myself. What did you do, buy the entire grocery store?" She peeked into the plastic bag for a closer look and pulled out an ice cream bar. "You should eat the other one before it melts," she suggested, ignoring the dazed look on his face.  
  
Finally releasing the hand from his heart, he seated himself on the swing beside her and peeled open the paper wrapping from his ice cream. "You shouldn't jump off the swing like that. Didn't anyone ever tell you that's dangerous?"  
  
"Eh," she shrugged. "I was just testing to see why Kaya loves doing it so much. I have to admit there is a rush there." She nibbled on her ice cream bar, wiping away the crumbs that fell into her lap. "Sometimes you'll never understand why people do the things they do unless you try it once."  
  
"Who's Kaya?" He rummaged through the bags and pulled out a bottle of Coke dripping with condensation on the outside of the bottle. He took a long swig before taking another bite of his sandwich.  
  
"She's my muse, my reason for living, and the biggest love of my life."  
  
The tipped bottle to his lips remained still and a streak of soda dripped down his chin to his pants. "What?" His eyes widened as if this new information had suddenly caused a notion to dawn upon him. "Oh geez, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were. . . If I did I would have never asked in the first place. You could have just told me that was the reason why you refused. Well, you know. . ."  
  
Tsukushi burst out into a fit of laughter after realizing what he was fumbling to say. She grabbed the bottle out his hand and placed it on the ground before his lap could become more saturated with the sticky liquid. "No, you have it all wrong. Kaya is my daughter." She reached into her purse and pulled out her wallet pulling out a flip-out of pictures. "She's my baby."  
  
He took the wallet, inspecting the photos looking at them from up to down. Each picture was a slow progression starting with a little wrinkly looking thing swaddled in a pink blanket to a little girl wearing pigtails, blowing out her birthday candles on her cake. A small smile appeared on his lips as he carefully examined each one. "How old is she now?"  
  
"She just turned five about two months ago," she bragged. "She's the cutest kid in the world." She took back the wallet and held out the photographs in front of her face. "I would do anything for her."  
  
"Who's that?" he asked pointing towards the man holding the baby in his arms.  
  
"That's Rui. He's the father."  
  
"Oh." He kicked a stone near his foot, contemplating the situation presented to him. "Did you just get divorced or something?"  
  
"Nope. We never even got close to getting married. I was the girl mothers always warned their daughters about becoming. I was only sixteen when I had Kaya. I was lucky considering how I finished high school and continued a little bit into college. She's getting older now and she'll be starting to have full days of school next year. What I want has to take a backseat to what's good for her. It'll be nice giving up the juggle between work, school and a kid. Now all I have to focus on is work and Kaya. I don't even know why I'm telling you this. You must find this boring."  
  
"No I don't." His face showed no intentions of swaying away from the sincerity and truth of his words. "Anything that matters to you is important to me. Is he the reason why I found you looking like you wanted someone to put you out of your misery this afternoon?"  
  
"I guess you could say that. I'm having trouble letting her go. She's only spending the night at her father's, but it's tearing me up inside knowing she's not with me."  
  
He nodded his head listening to her. "I understand that look. You have that same look on your face my mother did whenever she left me at my father's for his weekend visitation rights."  
  
"Ah, so you're not so perfect, are you?"  
  
"Take it from someone who sees it from the third party point of view. My parents divorced when I was about four. After that it was always the pass between two parents for holidays, graduations, birthdays, and weekends. In the beginning, they pretty much hated each other taking barbs at the other. Their animosity started rubbing off on me and, I got pretty fed up with them, too. The whole thing was draining on the three of us. We ended up going to family therapy, and from there things started getting a bit better. My parents even started to like each other again as much as even calling the other a friend. That was the point where we settled into the comfort of just being some kind of family. Take it from me when I say that the best thing you can do is to just let things happen." He paused momentarily, revealing the pensive look on his face. "I thank God that they got over themselves and learned to just be friends to deal with the situation. The worst thing you can do to a kid is put them on the spot, having to choose between one parent over the other. In the long run, what you're doing for your daughter is good for all of you. He may have her for one night, but you'll be her mother forever."  
  
She took a sip of her ice tea, focusing on the setting sun in front of them. A small smile crept over her pink lips. "Thanks," she whispered.  
  
---------------------------------------  
  
Her long polished ruby red fingernails raked across the linoleum table. Silently she stared out into the pedestrians whizzing by. Every one had a place to go. That is, everyone except for her. She languidly picked up the straw in her milkshake, ignoring the person sitting across from her. Her mind was completely lost in the mix of her contemplations.  
  
Hiro? Haru? Hideaki? I know it's something with an H. Wait, maybe it's not an H. I think it starts with an E.  
  
"Enichi!"  
  
"What?" The bewildered young man smiled at his date's current enthusiasm to shouting his name. A little spark of hope lit up inside of him. For the last ten minutes, he had been going over the finer points of good bookkeeping in terms of receipts for tax breaks when his date suddenly interrupted him by yelling out his name in the quiet little diner.  
  
"Huh?" Confusion was written all over her face. She tilted her head to the side trying think of something to say. "Could you pass the salt?"  
  
"Sure." He readily grabbed the salt and handed it over to her across the table.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Oh god, he's talking about debits and credits again. Apparently I got his name right since he acknowledged me. Rule number one of real dating- remember your date's name. Gotta remember that.  
  
Here we are again. I don't get what the hell is wrong with me. Here I am with what appears to be a perfectly fine specimen of the male species and I feel like I'm talking to a piece of wood. I just had to let Yuuki set me up with these guys. An accountant! A fucking accountant! I usually pass on these number crunchers that get turned on by the slightest whir of their financial calculators. I'm used to models, actors, pretty boys. Fuck, I've had one of everything. Who am I kidding?  
  
Focus, Sakurako. You can do this. He has nice hair. I do remember him saying he owned his own house and car. That shows stability. He's pretty toned. Must work out quite a bit. A normal date would have us sweating, panting and groaning as our bodies pounded against a mattress. I'm too perverted for my own good. Then again, the idea does sound promising as a means to shut him up. Self-control. Must have self-control. I will not sleep with him on our first date.  
  
She raised a hand, silencing him in mid-sentence. Putting on a sickeningly sweet and innocent smile, she picked up her purse. Glancing down at her watch, she calculated how long it would take her to get home through the mid-afternoon traffic. "It's getting a little late. I don't mean to be rude, but do you think you could take me back to my place? I need to get ready for work," she lied.  
  
He seemed puzzled for a moment before slapping down some bills on the table, taking care of the bill. "Sure. Let's go." He extended a hand to help her out of the booth and escorted her through the door, keeping his arm around her waist like the chivalrous knight he appeared to be.  
  
Sakurako blindly allowed him to open the passenger side door for her. She looked down at her date's attire, wishing she could reach home faster to peel off the clothes and crawl into bed. She was relatively conservatively dressed for the date. Deciding that it be better to show up on the first date comfortable, she threw on a pair of low-rise denim jeans and a white halter top. She reached behind her neck to unfasten the strings to retie them since they seemed to be becoming loose. Her hand froze the second she felt his over hers.  
  
"Let me help you with that," he whispered into her ear, leaning over the stick shift to grab the two thin strings. Slowly, he dragged the tips of the strings across the cool flesh of her back in a teasing and taunting manner. The simpleton's face he had worn earlier vanished with the appearance of his predatory smile and the knowing gleam in his eyes. His left arm brushed against her chest, rubbing the soft cotton of the top against her hardened nipples.  
  
Instinctively, she raised her arms to fold them across her chest, It was all in a desperate attempt to push his lingering hands away from her. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Nothing," he smugly replied. He leaned over closer to her and began to pry her arms away from her chest. Her top slowly slipped downwards, revealing the white lacy strapless bra underneath.  
  
She shivered underneath his hungry gaze. The air conditioning in the car made it worse, sending goosebumps over her exposed flesh. From one point of view she was a little turned on by his aggressive behavior. Better judgment would have ruled her sexual need to be spurred on by the refrain from such a behavior in previous days and also the bad boy complex. As sad as it is, no woman can resist the charms of the wolf in sheep's clothing.  
  
His offending hands slipped down lower, rubbing her thighs. Fingers looped through her belt loops, tugging at the waist of her jeans.  
  
She reached to raise her top back up, holding onto the strings to support the flimsy top in a small attempt to retain some decency. Her eyes locked forward through the windshield, realizing that the parking lot was rather empty for this time of day. It was about the lull of the day between the after work rush and late lunch goers. Out in the broad daylight where any passerby could waltz past the car seeing her indecency, she affirmed what had to be done.  
  
"I want you to take me home," she commanded. "I think this date is over. I'm not about to have sex with a guy I just met in his car. This is only supposed be a simple date and nothing else."  
  
"Come on, you know you want this. All the guys at work told me about the good time you showed them. I assumed I would be given the same courtesy. I like a girl in virginal white." He slid a finger over her bra teasing the small ribbon bow in the center. "A dirty girl like you pretending to be all sweet and innocent isn't right." He leaned in closer letting his hot breath tickle against her neck and ear. Just low enough to be heard underneath the hum of the air conditioning he whispered, "I know what you really are. You're nothing but a fucking whore."  
  
The tough skin she had acquired over the years crumbled with those words. It's amazing how one man could destroy a woman's self-esteem with that one word. It was the label that separated the two types of women in the world. There were the women they wanted to be seen in public with and brought home to their mothers. The others nothing more than a good fuck until the good girls came along. All the years of running in the wrong circle left no chance for redemption, for some shred of dignity. She would forever be one of those women, a whore.  
  
"Get away from me!" she shrilly screeched, pushing his body away from hers. "Get your filthy fucking hands off of me!" Her nails came out like talons, scratching at any bare flesh that came her way. She slashed downward scratching, leaving a long trail of blood dripping down his face. Not caring about the consequences she grappled with the door trying to get it unlocked, but soon found out he had set the auto lock for the passenger side.  
  
"Bitch!" he yelled, grabbing his cheek. "I'm going to make you pay for this." His fist made instant contact with her face, knocking her head against the window.  
  
"Fuck!" she groaned, grabbing her head where a lump was starting to form.  
  
The stronger man began to climb over the middle of the car towards her seat. His hands worked their way on the zipper of her jeans. His own belt and pants were already loosened for easy access. "I was going to go gently with you, but a hellcat like you needs to be taken roughly. Shut the fuck up while I take what's mine. It's not like you're uncharted territory."  
  
Her vision was blurred and her mind spinning. It was as if everything had divided into twos. Her hands trembled, but she could feel the impending presence of a body pushing her back against the seat. Something big was leaning in towards her. She panicked. Shaking her head, she tried to clear her mind.  
  
Shit! I'm not going down without a fight.  
  
She grasped for the rod that she knew resided in the center. Her fingers fumbled around the hard elongated object. Finally, getting a firm grasp she jerked it.  
  
A groan echoed through the car. Wrong stick.  
  
Her hand instantly released the piece of male anatomy she had mistakenly grabbed as the stick shift. This time she found the right one and yanked it downward. At the same time, the stick shift shifted out of park and into reverse, but not before hitting something in its way.  
  
Enichi yelped in pain, feeling the stick shift ramming into his pelvis. The brief moment of pleasure he felt when her fingers wrapped around him quickly died out to be replaced by the shooting fiery pain in his crotch. "Oomph!"  
  
Taking this as an open chance, she leaned over his slumped form to push the auto lock off. Grabbing her purse, she pushed the car door open. Her body hit the hot asphalt as the car rolled backwards. "If I ever see your face again, you son of a bitch, I'll make sure to cut your dick off and feed it to you!"  
  
She ran as fast as her stiletto heels could carry her. Stumbling and tripping along the way, she quickly tied her halter top back on and ran out into the main street. Two dark streaks of black marred her face from the tears intermingling with her mascara. The salty black mixture flowed down across her cheeks onto the sidewalk. Her body could take no more until finally she slumped down against the brick wall of a building in an alleyway.  
  
------------------------------  
  
Tsukasa hurried home, hoping that he would not be late to meet Tsukushi. They had agreed earlier to meet up at home at about 7 for dinner. He clutched the parcel in his hand, which he had picked up at the convenience store down the street. Oblivious in his haste, he barely caught the faint whimpers from the dark side street he passed. Normally he would have ran by without a second glance, but the small "fuck" he heard muttered over and over again was a little too familiar.  
  
Cautiously, he stepped into the narrow passage. "Sakurako?"  
  
She raised her head, wiping away the tears with the back of her arm. "Shit," she muttered to herself. She quickly stood up trying to compose herself. She reached up and felt the sore spot on her head through the matted mess of hair that once was tied in a neat French twist. She popped open her purse finding a hair tie, and pulled back her hair, wincing in pain after touching the sore spot. The best she could do about her make up was wipe away the gloppy mess on her face, smearing it across her pale skin with the tissue.  
  
His steps were small and cautious. There was something about the way she slumped against the wall that didn't seem right. Her entire body was trembling. Her clothes and hair were disheveled coming undone. It was almost as if. . .  
  
"What the fuck?"  
  
"Tsukasa?"  
  
Dropping the bag in his hands, he rushed forward, catching her before her knees gave way. He gripped her shoulder, attempting to prop her up. "What happened to you?' He reached up to brush the few stray bangs out of her eyes.  
  
She hissed at the sensation of his fingers dabbing at the purple splotches forming around her eye. "That hurts like a fucker."  
  
"I can tell. What the hell happened to you?"  
  
"It's nothing," she slapped his hand away. "I just got into a little trouble on my date." She brushed him aside and dug her hand into her purse, looking for some sort of relief from that pounding in her head. Pulling out her pack of cigarettes, she patted the bottom into her palm before flipping the top open to let a single stick fall out. The cigarette was soon slipped between her lips, dangling from her mouth. Her heavy labored breaths were not helping her maintain the single flame in the palm of her hands sprouting from the silver lighter. The flame illuminated her face, only enhancing the damage inflicted upon it.  
  
Tsukasa cupped her chin and raised it upwards for a better look. "If you don't put something on that eye it's going to be swollen shut tomorrow."  
  
Finally managing to light up, she took a slow labored drag. "Thanks for the concern, but I don't need it." Flecks of ash danced in the air as she waved her cigarette. The jerky movement in her hands only added to the ash flying everywhere around them. "I'll remember that the next time some bastard decides to show me some love with his fucking fist." She shoved him away and ambled out of the alleyway. Her steps were disoriented and her feet dragged across the pavement. Her purse was slung over her shoulder by one hand while the other held her the cigarette between her slender fingers. "Don't tell anyone about this. I can take care of myself."  
  
He was dumbfounded for a second, pondering what to do. It was all a matter of letting her go or run after her. He chose the latter.  
  
"You aren't going anywhere like that," he demanded, pulling her back and spinning her around to face him.  
  
Her balance was unnerved momentarily, but she regained it upon placing her hands against his chest. She was furious.  
  
Why can't he get the fucking point? It's not like this is the first time some guy has decided to screw me over. Why does he fucking care? I'm nothing more than a cheap whore.  
  
"I can't let you go like this. You need some help."  
  
"Why do you care?"  
  
"Because."  
  
"Because what, damn it? Don't you see what everyone else sees? If you haven't noticed, you're the only one offering help. Women like me don't need guys to come to their rescue. I can damn well take care of myself like I always have!" Her fists were now pounding against his chest, trying to push him away from her. She didn't want to feel comforted. She didn't want his pity. She just wanted to be alone. Her protests faded into nothing but a small whisper. "Just leave me alone. Why do you care?"  
  
He blinked, contemplating a proper answer for the posed question. It looked like the day was turning into a save everyone type of day. He knew the answer. It was a fact that he had tried so long to deny himself of. No matter how hard he tried to distance himself, he knew the truth.  
  
"Because I'm your friend."  
  
She gripped his shirt in her clenched fists. For once in a long time, she felt that fire inside die. Her eyes glazed over in defeat. Slowly, she released his shirt from her deathlike grip. "I don't want to be. . ."  
  
"Don't want to be what?"  
  
"Alone."  
  
------------------------------  
  
Akira rushed around the apartment, barely dodging the small piles of magazines, clothing, food wrappers, and other miscellaneous items scattered on the ground. He snatched up what appeared to be and smelled like a clean shirt off the couch. It was questionable whether or not it was clean, but on short notice it would have to do. Slipping it over his bare upper body, he buttoned the shirt up, humming to himself. He grabbed his keys and wallet from the kitchen counter, stuffing the wallet into his back pocket. Taking one last look around, he tore out the door.  
  
I can't believe my luck. Akira, you are one lucky bastard. I've been waiting a few weeks for Naru to finally give up her silly ideals of marital monogamy. Those flowers I've been sending everyday must have clinched it.  
  
He hopped into his car and revved up the engine. Hearing the small beep of his cell phone he looked down to realize there was a voice mail message left for him. He lifted the phone to his ear after dialing into his voicemail.  
  
"Hey Akira! It's me. Look, I was going through some of Susumu's things today and decided to finally move the stuff into storage or give it away. I called Jiro to come over, too. You two can go through his clothes, since he has more than goodwill would be willing to take. I'll be going out to dinner at about 7, but just give me a call when you want to drop by today. If not, you can just pick up some stuff tomorrow. Ja ne!"  
  
You're a lifesaver, Tsukushi.  
  
He quickly dialed her number and waited for her to pick up while he maneuvered the steering wheel with his other free hand.  
  
"Akira!"  
  
"Yo. I just got your message. Can I drop by right now?"  
  
"Umm. . . Sure. I'm just on my way home. I'll be there in about ten minutes. Tsukasa might be home to let you in, but if not I'll be there in a few. Okay?"  
  
"Thanks. Bye."  
  
"Bye."  
  
He flipped the phone closed and sped up faster, weaving through traffic. Cranking up the radio he tapped his fingertips against the wheel along with the beat.  
  
I wonder if she has Susumu's blue Armani shirt that I always liked?  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
"I'll be there in a few, okay?" Tsukushi answered, balancing her phone between her ear and shoulder while glancing down at her watch. She picked the phone back up and held it up properly. "Bye." Hanging up her phone, she turned to her companion. "Sorry, about that. What were you saying?"  
  
Kazuya lightly smiled, digging his hands back in his pocket. "Forget it. I was just saying how today turned out to be pretty cool. I mean it went pretty well, as first dates go and all."  
  
She stopped and stared at him like he had grown another head. "Who said this was a date? It is not a date."  
  
"Hmm. . . I'd have to disagree with you on that one. It was a date," he stated matter-of-factly. "Just admit you enjoyed our date."  
  
"This is not a date," she growled.  
  
"No, no, no," he waved a finger in her face, walking backwards in front of her. "According to the dating bylaws, what we just did constitutes as a date. It says so in section 149-A paragraph 3. An outing with a person of the opposite sex in which one party had a certain affinity for the other shall be deemed a date when certain actions are taken. The male shall pay for the said activities, a meal shall be shared, and conversations shall be mutually upheld. Therefore, what we just did was a date."  
  
A look of incredulity was written all over her face.  
  
He's insane.  
  
She couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out laughing. The look of seriousness in his face remained intact, only fueling her laughter. "You can be such a cute idiot!"  
  
His serious look disappeared to be replaced by a series of emotions crossing his face including nothingness, confusion, and finally a little hopefulness.  
  
She instantly threw her hand over her mouth when she heard the words fly out. "I didn't mean that!"  
  
His eyes gleamed with mischief. "Too late! You can't take it back!" he yelled, pointing at her. He began to jump around her in circles, pointing and laughing. "You said I was cute!"  
  
Feeling rather stupid for letting those words slip out, she blushed and pushed him out of her way. She could feel her ears turning pink, a sure sign that her face was probably crimson by now. Every second his laughing and pointing increased, she quickened her pace home. "Laugh it up, buddy. I'm going home."  
  
He stopped when he heard her making her fast escape. "Oh no you don't!" He grabbed her wrist, preventing her from making a clean break for it. "Admit you had a good time with me. I know I did. Come on, what's stopping you? You know I'm not some kind of homicidal killer after spending the entire afternoon with me. I've already shared some of myself with you. I'm healthy. I'm devastatingly handsome. I'm good with kids. I love books. My favorite book is Don Quixote. He's my favorite character because he's a dreamer, chasing after windmills, the unattainable. I have good hygiene. My favorite place and time would be out on the beach at sunset, sitting on my surfboard, watching the sun disappear in the horizon. I can be humorous at the right moments and serious when you need me. Most importantly, I like you and I'm not going to let you pass up something that can be good." He gripped her hand and held it up to his chest. "We could be something great."  
  
For the first time in a long while, I questioned the first answer that my brain shouted I respond with. My heart was pounding and my head becoming a bit hazy in the moment. For once, maybe I didn't want to listen to my brain. A small part of me just wanted to throw caution to the wind and say, "Let's go for it." Life isn't that simple, though. There are too many things that complicate this situation. Looking up into his honey-colored eyes and the untamable sandy brown hair that fell into his eyes, I wanted to feel it between my fingers, brushing it away. That was exactly what I did.  
  
"Maybe we could. Too bad we'll never find out." Tsukushi took back her dropped hand and walked away. She didn't even notice that they had made it back to the front of her building. Ignoring the statue-like boy left behind, she began to walk through the open doorway. She smiled up at the doorman.  
  
"I never finished telling you the complete story about my parents, did I? You're probably wondering why I can't just let go of the fact that you don't want to go out with me, but there is more to it. After my parents divorced, my father got remarried. He had a few more kids after me. He'll be celebrating his ten year anniversary next month. My mother never remarried. She never even dated. She never moved on. Her life revolved around her child. Sometimes I see that look in her eyes when she looks at my father. She may not admit it, but I think she's still in love with him. She always said her child was enough love for her heart. Some men came along, trying to persuade her otherwise, and a few even proposed marriage. She never accepted. Now she's alone, and all she has is me, the only man in her life. I don't want you to end up like her. Don't push people away who want to be let in." He raised his lowered head, revealing eyes that pierced right through her, sending chills up her spine. "I see you in her. You're too young to sell yourself short. Someone out there wants to get to know you better. That someone is me. I'm not going to bully you into going out with me. The ball is in your court now. I'll be waiting for your call. If you don't call, well then today was incredible and I hope you'll remember it for what it was."  
  
He ended his little speech and raised a hand to silence her. Her mouth hung open, ready to say something, but he moved quickly. He briefly smiled before turning and walking away. His back moved further and further away.  
  
Tsukushi was baffled by the turn of events. His speech almost sounded like a rejection. It stung to be chastised by him. She turned around, only to walk into something hard. She rubbed her forehead, still trying to find her bearings.  
  
"Akira?"  
  
"Come inside, Tsukushi. You look like you need to sit down right about now."  
  
"Uh huh," she dumbly nodded, allowing him to lead her inside the building and onto the elevator. His grip never loosened from around her waist and she leaned her head against his chest, "Do you think I made a huge mistake telling him to leave?"  
  
"I don't know. I can't tell you what's right and wrong. From what I could see, that guy has got it bad for you just like the rest of the pathetic male species that has the honor of knowing you." He rested his chin on top of her head, sighing.  
  
"Sometimes I wish I didn't have so much responsibility. Sometimes I wish I could be like every other 21 year old worrying about school, a job, and what club to go to each night. I'm tired of feeling so old. I want to be young again when things didn't matter. Risk is an option I've forgotten all about." She walked out of the elevator, leaving Akira to trail behind her. She didn't even stop to say anything more, but headed straight to her bedroom to lie down and dwell on the day's happenings.  
  
Akira closed the door behind him and opted not to press Tsukushi for any more information about what she would do. He knew better than to push things. Heading straight for Tsukasa's bedroom, he walked towards one of the open boxes and pulled out a clean dress shirt, changing out of his dirty one. He tiptoed back out into the hallway and briefly paused in front of Tsukushi's door. He nudged the heavy door open a crack to find her sprawled out on the bed. Her hair fanned out around her body and her chest slowly rose and fell with each breath. Her soft breathing echoed in the silent room. She had fallen asleep.  
  
He took one last glance at the woman sleeping peacefully a few feet away from him. He ruled against what he wanted to do, and shut the door behind him. He had a date waiting for him and probably an open bed.  
  
"I'm no better than the rest. You don't know what you can drive a man to do."  
  
------------------------------------  
  
A/N: For anyone interested in Sailor Moon check out my first attempt "Taking the Plunge". And I said I would never write a sailor moon fic.. 


	12. Random Acts

Disclaimer: I'm poor. I live with it.  
  
Chapter 12: Random Acts  
  
Tsukasa pushed the door open with his free arm while his other was used to support Sakurako. Her arm was thrown over his shoulder as he dragged her through the doorway. He turned to close the door, but stumbled, almost losing grip on the limp girl. After their little confrontation on the street, she seemed to just become as a limp as a rag doll. All the fight in her was gone. He moved her onto the couch and looked around, noticing Tsukushi's purse lying on the coffee table.  
  
"Tsukushi! Are you home? Quick! I need you to come out here!"  
  
A few muffled sounds came from the direction of her bedroom. It died down after she opened the door, revealing herself in only a bathrobe. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "I'm sorry. I must have fallen asleep. I know I promised we would go out at seven. . ." Her voice trailed off as she took sight of the young woman with her head tilted back on the couch. "Oh god! What happened?!" she screeched, running forward and shaking Sakurako to rouse her from her dazed state. She lightly slapped her on the cheek. "Wake up, Sakurako!"  
  
"Huh?" she incoherently mumbled as her head lolled to one side. "Where am I? Why is the room spinning?"  
  
Tsukushi pulled her head forward, ignoring the small moan of protest by the patient. She ran her fingers over her scalp, feeling for any bump. She finally found the bruised spot when Sakurako yelped in pain. "Other than a really bad black eye, she's probably got a minor concussion." She slapped Sakurako in the face, forcing her to open her eyes. "Who did this to you?" she hissed.  
  
"Don't remember," she slurred.  
  
She slapped her again. "Now is not the fucking time not to remember. Tell me who did this to you! I need you to remember."  
  
"Ouch, bitch! It was Ekichi? No, wait, it was Morimoto Enichi! I feel so sleepy."  
  
"Don't go to sleep!" Tsukushi screamed into her ear, shaking her body. "Where did you meet this guy?"  
  
"He lives in the Hinata complex. That's where I met him, a few days ago after I snuck out from one of my dates who lived in the building. I met him in the elevator, and he offered me a ride home in his Porsche."  
  
"How can you accept a date with some strange guy?"  
  
"He seemed nice. He was an accountant. What the hell could an accountant do to me? I guess I learned my lesson," she chuckled. She grabbed her head and slumped over. "I think I'm going to be sick."  
  
"What color was his car?" Tsukushi hurriedly asked.  
  
"Red." Sakurako cupped her hand over her mouth and suddenly seemed to fully awaken. She dashed for the bathroom where retching noises soon followed.  
  
"Fuck!" Tsukushi cursed under her breath. She reached for the cordless phone and punched in the speed dial.  
  
"Hello. Urara- sensei? I know it's short notice, but it's an emergency. I need you to come over to my place right away. I think it's only a minor concussion, but you should come and check it over anyway. Uh huh. Thanks. Bye."  
  
She hung up the phone and put it back into the cradle. Turning towards Tsukasa who was making a strange face at the sounds of gagging coming from the bathroom, she picked herself off the couch. "Tsukasa."  
  
"Huh?" he absentmindedly responded, trying to calm his own stomach, which was making flip flops. He was never one to enjoy the sounds of someone puking.  
  
"I called a doctor friend of mine. Can you stay here and watch over her until she comes?"  
  
"Yeah, sure" he nodded. "Where are you going?"  
  
"Out. Tell Urara-sensei thank you for the favor. She'll know how to handle the rest. I'll be back later. It seems like we'll have to take a rain check on that dinner." She walked out of the living room and into his bedroom, intending to get certain items she had found earlier. She then proceeded into her own room to change into a pair of jeans, tank top, and black hoodie. A pair of sneakers were in one hand while a duffel bag was in the other.  
  
Tsukasa arched an eyebrow in fascination upon noticing the aluminum baseball bat sticking out of the bag. "What are you gonna do with that?"  
  
"Oh, nothing really. Just thought I would catch up on some batting practice," she sweetly smiled. Without elaborating any more on the subject, she walked out the door.  
  
--------------------------------  
  
"Are you sure about this Tsukushi?" Yuuki worriedly asked. She wrapped her arms around herself. She stood behind Tsukushi, wrapping her trench coat tighter around her body.  
  
"Yeah, I mean we haven't done something like this in ages," Thomas agreed. "And why was I dragged into this again? You do realize that I can't pull that 'Oh, officer please don't take me in. I'm only 17' look. Fuck, I'm too old for this. I'm 28. I can go to jail for this."  
  
"Feh," Tsukushi waved her hand, completely indifferent to his pleas. "You're only an accomplice. If they catch you, they'll go lighter on you," she laughed.  
  
"Uh huh. Now why didn't you call those idiots, Akira or Soujiro, to help you with this?" he sulked.  
  
"Because I couldn't catch Akira on his cell. Secondly, we both know what Jiro would have done. He has that thing about men hitting women. Just do what I told you to do and everything will go fine. Synchronize watches!"  
  
"Shit, she's gone all Alias on us," Yuuki muttered to herself. "Since this is for Sakurako, I'll do it."  
  
"Thomas?"  
  
"Count me in," he shrugged. "I would do anything for her. This bastard needs some sense knocked into him." He reached out his hand in the circle and pushed down before raising his arm in the air. "Break!"  
  
"Twenty minutes is all we need." She turned towards Thomas. "You got your gear?"  
  
"Right here," he answered, holding up a small book bag. "Man, this disguise itches." He scratched at the fake moustache on his face, as well as the black wig on his head. A pair of thin wire framed glasses hid his baby blue eyes.  
  
"Good boy. Yuuki?"  
  
"I've got it. No need to rehash the act I'm about to commit. Let's get this over with already." She repositioned the wig on her head. It was a long dirty blonde wig that flowed down her back, tickling her bare skin.  
  
"Good girl! I'll meet you around the corner in exactly 20 minutes. Stragglers will be left behind." Tsukushi dropped her duffel bag on the ground and removed a pair of goggles. She placed them over her eyes, adjusting them to make sure safety would be guaranteed. Next, she grabbed the baseball bat and glided her hand against the cool metal. "It's time for 'Operation Random Acts of Violence!'"  
  
"Right!"  
  
"Oh yeah, Thomas, can you do something for me?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"When you beat the shit out of him, smack him once for me."  
  
"You got it, ringleader."  
  
------------------------------  
  
"Whoever did this must have known what he was doing," Urara- sensei observed, lifting Sakurako's chin higher. She carefully pulled away the ice at her eye and lightly tapped at the skin. "Looks pretty bad."  
  
Sakurako sucked in her breath at the feathery touch to her skin. "I should know. Someone had to be on the receiving end of his fist." She squeezed her eyes shut, choking back the tears, hiding her pain. "Is everything okay?"  
  
"Well, except for the minor concussion, a few scratches, and a pretty bad shiner, you'll live. I assume you'll have a pretty bad headache in the morning, but some aspirin will do the trick. Stay in bed for a few days and you'll be back to normal." She pushed back her long hair that had fallen over her shoulder, getting in her way. Picking up her medical bag, she stood up and picked up her coat. "I'll see myself out."  
  
Tsukasa waited patiently by, outside in the hallway. He leaned against the wall with his eyes closed, half awake and half asleep. It had been a few hours since Tsukushi had made her quick departure and Urara-sensei had only arrived to take a look at Sakurako an hour ago. The time in between was spent helping Sakurako hold back her hair while she retched into the toilet or lay lifeless on the tiled bathroom floor. He was worried for a while that she might die while left in his care.  
  
"Is everything alright?"  
  
"She's fine," the older woman sighed, pulling her coat on. She pushed up her glasses on the bridge of her nose and released a tired sigh. "She'll be fine in the morning. Maybe a little bruised and whatnot. For now, I need you to keep vigil on her. Don't let her fall asleep just yet for about an hour or two. She suffered a minor concussion, but you should keep a close eye on her if she starts vomiting again or feels any disorientation. Tell Tsukushi I will call her in the morning. I've got to get back to the hospital now. Goodbye."  
  
"Thank you," he replied, opening the door for her to leave. "Thank you for everything."  
  
She nodded her head and tilted his face up to her, taking note of the weariness in his face. "You should get some rest, too."  
  
He waited a few minutes to gather himself before making himself known to Sakurako. He never really liked dealing with emotional women. Hey, he could barely tolerate trying to take care of the drunken women at the club throwing themselves all over him. This time it was a bit more awkward. Someone he knew had been hurt. He intently watched her lying on the couch, trying to find the best way to break the ice, but was beaten to the point.  
  
"Are you going to stand there all night?" Sakurako laughed. She propped herself up against the back of the couch and patted the empty spot beside her.  
  
Hesitantly, he sat down. His hands were folded in his lap while his eyes avoided looking directly at her.  
  
"I think we've already established the fact that I don't bite. Can you hand me my purse over there?"  
  
Obediently he handed her the item and watched her take out her pack of cigarettes, shoving one between her lips. "Maybe it isn't such a good idea to smoke right now."  
  
"I just need something to calm my nerves," she shakily protested, raising the lighter up. Every time her hand flicked the flame alive, the trembles of her hand would cause the flame to extinguish. Out of frustration after the fourth try, she spit the cigarette out of her mouth. The lighter and pack were sent flying across the room, hitting the wall with a dull thud. "Shit,' she muttered to herself.  
  
He remembered back to the times his sister used to comfort him after it seemed like the world was collapsing all around him. Pleasant memories of the warmth and understanding she provided filled him. Taking her example, he reached out, putting an arm around her shoulder and pulled her up against his chest. His palm moved to pet her head, smoothing out her hair. Lightly placing his lips against her head, he whispered, "Everything's going to be okay."  
  
Somewhere in his heart he hoped those words were true.  
  
I've heard people tell me that all my life. Why is it that every time something bad happens they say the same meaningless words: "Everything is going to be okay". You know what, not everything is going to be fucking okay. I learned that a long time ago. But for some reason. . . Hearing it from him makes me feel that maybe things will be alright after all.  
  
His fingers stroked through her matted hair, gently tugging out the tangles, and taming the mangled mess. Reaching for a tissue, he brought her face up to his. He weakly smiled, carefully bringing the soft cloth up to her face to wipe away the dried tears, as well as the fresh ones that continued to flow. Comforting others was still a foreign act to him, but it was a role he forced himself to adjust to.  
  
"I must look like a mess," she laughed, taking the tissue from his hand and dabbing her own eyes.  
  
She spared a glance down at the tissue, seeing the residue of mascara smeared across the virginal white Kleenex. What shocked her even more was her own reflection in the television screen that brought upon the reality of it all. At the mere age of 20, not yet completely legal to be considered a full adult with all the responsibilities and obligations, she appeared to be years older. Finally, her past had begun to take its toll on her physical appearance. Dark circles were forming under her eyes, fine wrinkles were slowly becoming more and more defined from years of practically chain smoking, and the youthful, rosy innocence in her face long forgotten. Her body had taken a few beatings that would have aged her considerably.  
  
I look like shit.  
  
"You could never be anything less than perfect."  
  
The words slid off his tongue like water in perfect ease. In a way, he looked towards the idealistic dreams of his childhood. Even now in the deepest depths of his heart, he still yearned for such sugarcoated words of endearment. They were the words he longed for as a child, and as a man.  
  
"Thank you," she whispered. Her body edged closer to his and the stiffness in her body eased into a blissful limpness. Eyes closed, she listened in silence to the rhythmic beating of his heart, lulling her into a dreamlike state.  
  
Tsukasa peered down to see Sakurako's eyes beginning to glaze over. Realization suddenly hit him as he recalled the doctor's previous orders. He nudged her awake, and inwardly groaned at having to disrupt her peaceful state. "The doctor said not to let you sleep just yet."  
  
"I want to sleep," she mumbled into his chest. "So tired. . ."  
  
"Nope. I can't let you do that," he playfully laughed, slapping her lightly on the thigh. "How about you get out of those clothes and into something more comfortable? A nice shower might be nice, too." His eyes wandered down to her dirt-stained white top and tight jeans that did not seem fit to be sleeping attire. "You can just borrow something from Tsukushi. Can you walk?"  
  
"I think so," she yawned, stretching out lazily. She planted her palms against his chest, pushing away from him as a support to stand up. Wobbly she stood up and attempted to make her first step, stumbling in her movements. "Maybe not."  
  
"I'll help you," he offered. Opting to avoid any further physical exertion on her part, he looped one arm underneath her knees while the other wrapped underneath her back, pulling her off the ground in a bridal position.  
  
The sudden lift off the ground startled her. Her mouth opened to protest, but her body argued against it. She needed help.  
  
Together they made their way into Tsukushi's bedroom. Depositing her on the bed, he peered into her closet, but found himself lost in a sea of shoes, skirts, tops, bottoms, and every article of clothing known to man geared towards the female gender. He found everything except something suitable to sleep in.  
  
"I don't know where she keeps her nightgowns," he sheepishly confessed. "I think I might have something for you though." He ran out of the room and emerged a few moments later with a silk nightshirt in hand. "This should do for now. Just yell when you're done."  
  
He walked out the room and closed the door behind him, hearing the shuffling of feet and the sound of the shower being turned on. Once he was assured that she was fine, he left to take care of himself. He looked down to take notice of his own appearance. The stench of cigarettes and beer lingered in his clothing from his visit to the bar earlier. Shrugging his shoulder, he made way to his own bedroom to change and grab a quick shower before retiring for the night. He looked down at his watch taking note of the late hour.  
  
Where did Tsukushi go?  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
Yuuki took one last deep breath gathering her wits about her. She tried her best to calm her nerves, but it was difficult to do so after the description of Sakurako's predicament. For the mild-tempered young woman, her anger was rarely displayed. When it did come out, it was calculated, conniving, and perfectly executed. That strange flutter in her stomach causing her discomfort and last minute trepidation for her own safety and her companions flew out the window.  
  
"Thomas."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I'm ready," With that said, she dropped her trench coat, revealing a lacy black corset and panty set. To complete the look, she donned matching garters clipped to her stockings, as well as a pair of stiletto pumps that probably could have impaled a person if used as a weapon.  
  
Momentarily, his jaw dropped at seeing his co-worker displaying such an outfit in front of him. His mouth temporarily went dry and it took a bit of willpower to contain his libido. There was work to be done. Thomas nodded his head and took the coat, throwing it in a safe spot behind a flowerpot in the hallway. He grabbed the can of beer, shaking it violently up and down before popping the tab open and spraying the contents onto her, drenching her hair and body with it. He handed her the can and offered a towel.  
  
Yuuki downed the rest of the contents of the can down her throat, making sure her breath would smell of alcohol, making her ruse believable. She giggled to herself, taking note of Thomas' reaction to her attire and making sure to perhaps use the outfit on Soujiro. "I am so not looking forward to spending the night in jail for this if we get caught," she sighed.  
  
"Don't worry. I won't leave you behind."  
  
She took one last deep breath and concentrated on the task at hand. Taking in a large bit of air, she screamed at the top of her lungs, "You bastard!"  
  
He tried his best to keep a straight face in an effort not to break out of character. "It's not my fault!"  
  
"You don't love me anymore! Why else wouldn't you be able to get it up?!"  
  
He blanched at what she was insinuating, making sure to get her back for that comment later. "Come on, baby. It happens to us all."  
  
"I can't take this anymore. You've probably been fucking that slut secretary of yours."  
  
"I told you already. We keep our relationship professional."  
  
"I don't want to listen to you anymore."  
  
"Come back to the apartment already. You're drunk."  
  
She shrugged off his hand on her shoulder and stormed down the hallway, away from Thomas who ran after her.  
  
Yuuki took that as her cue to move onto phase two of the plan. She looked up to see apartment number 12B and began banging loudly on the door.  
  
After a few moments a young man opened the door, scratching his head sleepily. Instantly his eyes flew open at the sight of the half-naked drunk girl on his doorstep who seemed to lack any inhibition at the moment. The small smile on his lips probably was in thanks to the gods for delivering the temptress to his door.  
  
"If you can't get the job done, then I'll get a real man! Look! He can probably satisfy me better than you ever could!"  
  
She leapt into his arms and pressed her lips forcefully against his. She almost gagged at the sudden contact of the vile person she was participating in the act with, but she held back her own emotions and focused on happier thoughts. Teasingly she licked his lips, encouraging him to open his mouth, allowing him to taste her. She could hear Thomas' feigned protests from behind her.  
  
"Fine! See if I care bitch! You know what, I was fucking my secretary and she was damn good. Don't come to me when you come out of your drunk ass self!" He stomped off down the hallway and ran behind the corner waiting for her next move.  
  
It was a frantic battle between the two for dominance, but Yuuki managed to overpower him. Her tongue darted in and out of his mouth in hard and quick thrusts, suggesting an act that she gave off as forthcoming. Pulling away, her breaths came out as heavy pants with her breasts brushing up against his clothed chest. Her nimble fingers quickly made themselves to his shirt buttons, but excitement took over. The shirt was torn open by her hands and buttons flew in all directions. Her lips trailed down from his mouth to his chest with a hunger that needed to be quenched. Down she went, bending almost onto her knees and the next thing off was his pants being pulled down to his ankles. He gladly obliged to the treatment he was getting by kicking the annoying piece of clothing away. She stopped suddenly and raised her head back to his at eye level. The smoky look of desire was heavy in his eyes, and the strain she felt as she rubbed her thigh against him was proof enough that his judgment would be clouded enough to make her next move. It came out in one deep husky breath.  
  
"I want you to fuck me."  
  
With the demand given, she pushed him into the apartment, leaving the door open. She jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist, straddling him and sucking on his earlobe.  
  
"I don't understand," he choked out.  
  
"How about I show you what I mean?" she coyly asked, bringing her hand down to grasp him. She squeezed his hardness and ground her hips against him, making sure her intent was clear. "I want you to fuck me." She thrust up against him and bit down on his shoulder kissing the spot where the indentation of teeth marks were made. She proceeded to lick the sensitive spot and whispered once more, "And I like it rough."  
  
Apparently no more words were needed as he turned them around and pushed her up against the walls. Surprised by his sudden actions, her back hit the wall with a loud thud, causing her to wince in pain at the sudden impact. She watched as he fumbled with his boxers trying to rid himself of the confining garment. Panic ran through her at his impatience. She loosened her grip around him and pushed him away from her. She slid down against the wall onto her feet.  
  
"What? I thought you wanted me now?" he asked, irritation evident in his voice.  
  
"Not so fast," she purred, running a manicured nail down his chest and stopping at the waistband of his boxers. "Show me to the bedroom."  
  
He dumbly nodded his head and led her towards the bedroom. The lights flickered on and he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. "I heard your little fight outside. I think I could help you with your little problem."  
  
"I bet you could," she teased, giving his buttocks a squeeze. She spun around and looked him dead in the eyes. "Just a few things. I love it when a man plays dirty with me." Her hands connected with his chest, pushing him back onto the bed into a sprawling position. "Secondly, I'm always on top." She glided over to the bed and towered over him, sliding over him with one leg on each side of his body. She settled herself over his stomach and trailed kisses down his chest. "Do you like to play dirty?' she asked, arching an eyebrow.  
  
"Yes," he stuttered back, too excited and too aroused to care what she wanted.  
  
"Good. Be a nice puppy and do as your master says." She leaned down and sucked, kissing him full on the lips. Her lips were against his as she spoke, "Baby, I can be everything and anything you've ever wanted. Play nicely and you'll get a very nice treat." She wriggled a bit on top of him, earning a moan in agreement. "Just close your eyes and let me take care of you."  
  
"Holy fuck! I can't believe this!"  
  
She grinned to herself, seeing him obediently close his eyes. She reached down and took off the two pairs of handcuffs she had discreetly hidden, cuffed to her ankles. She took one of his wrists, raised it above his head and cuffed him, placing the other cuff around one of the bars of the headboard. The other hand quickly followed.  
  
His eyes instantly snapped open at the cold touch of metal against his skin and the sound of something clicking. "What the hell?" He suspiciously eyed the handcuffed arm and moved his attention towards her. "What are you doing? Get these things off of me," he demanded. He jiggled his wrists in the handcuff, showing his disdain for the bondage.  
  
She formed a slight pout on her ruby red lips. A finger was placed on her lips showing a pensive look on her face. "You don't want to play my game?" she innocently asked with disappointment laced in her voice. She began to get up and swung one leg over to the other side. She sat beside him now, and looked expectantly up at him. "I was just about to make things even more fun," she drawled. One of her fingers moved in a slow trail up one leg towards his thigh. The other hand joined on the opposite leg until her palms in a massaging motion reached his upper thigh. They moved towards his last piece of clothing, and in one swift motion she removed them, revealing his currently rock hard and aroused state. She lowered her head with her eyes peering up at his face, watching the building suspense in his eyes. Her hot breath tickled his tip. "Well, if puppy doesn't want to play then I guess I can't give puppy his treat," she evilly grinned. She motioned to remove the handcuffs.  
  
"Wait!" he half breathed out and screamed. "Puppy wants his treat."  
  
"Then puppy has to play nicely," her childlike voice echoed in the room. "I do so hate it when a puppy decides to be disobedient."  
  
"Leave them on," he begged, thrashing about on the bed, begging for attention to his lower regions to be given some much needed relief before he exploded all over himself.  
  
Yuuki glanced down at her watch seeing that 10 minutes had passed already. Tsukushi had probably already done most of her work and the next phase was soon to take place.  
  
Phase 2.  
  
She absently tapped a finger against her lip. "Okay, but this puppy has been extra naughty. I think he needs to be taught a little lesson."  
  
"Oh yes! I need to be taught a lesson,"  
  
"I think he does too," a masculine voice responded in the background.  
  
Enichi turned his head in the direction to the added voice. His eyes widened in shock. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Yuuki brushed herself off as she hopped off the bed. She walked up to Thomas and hugged his arm, resting her chin on his shoulder. "Yes, our puppy needs to be taught a lesson on how to treat women. We're not all bitches for you to play with," she spat out at their prisoner.  
  
"What the fuck is going on here?" he growled, trying to wrench his arms free, but finding the resistance futile.  
  
"Smile for the camera, you poor fucking bastard," he waved while tauntingly laughing at the same time. A flash of the camera went off. "I'm going to enjoy beating you senseless."  
  
"I'm going to kill you for this," Enichi screamed at the top of his lungs. His face became red as a slew of expletives followed.  
  
"You're too loud, puppy," Yuuki scolded as she pulled out a long strip of duct tape and place it over his mouth. She leaned in closer to his face and whispered, "No one can hear you scream now. The next time you decide to try to rape a girl in your care, you'll think twice. I hate it when people mess with one of our own. If Sakurako has as much as a scar to remind her of your sorry ass I'll make sure you regret you ever had a dick." She patted him on the cheek with a sadistic smile on her face, which soon disappeared when she pulled back a fist and punched him in the face. She turned her back to him and grabbed the camera from Thomas' hand. "Tell me when to come back in when you're done with him. I really can't stomach the sight of blood."  
  
"You got it," Thomas agreed as he cracked his knuckles and approached the man tied up on the bed. "I hope you don't bleed easy. I would hate to get your blood on my new shirt."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Tsukushi readjusted the goggles on her head to make sure that her eyes would be properly guarded from the flying debris. Tapping the plastic one last time to make sure it was on tight, she lifted the bat above her head.  
  
It's a good thing Thomas remembered how to disable a car alarm. It was even better that his technological prowess came in handy when disabling the security cameras. This only makes my job easier. If you want to hurt a man, you hit him where it hurts -- his car.  
  
She took one last glance around the street and raised her bat in the air. Seconds later, in a large swooping motion it fell against the glass windshield. Bits of glass blasted in the air, falling in an explosion onto the ground. In the dead of the night, the deafening silence enveloped her, broken only by her heavy grunts with each swing and the shatter of metal hitting glass. No one would come looking for the source of the disturbance. That was the thing with rich people. They put the blame for no one doing a goddamn thing on everyone else who noticed and didn't make a move to call the proper authorities. As long as it wasn't their own car, it was the unlucky bastard or bitch's fault. It's funny how we let things slide and blame it all on a simple random act of violence.  
  
Her breaths quickened, showing signs of exhaustion. The muscles in her arms were beginning to ache from the reverberations of the metal rod in her hands hitting another hard surface. The windshield had long ago shattered, exposing the leather interior to the harsh humid moisture of the external environment. She smirked to herself, taking note of the flawless paint job and the fiery red color. A man who wanted the world to know he was made of money chose red, the power color. She picked herself off the ground, hopping onto the hood and stomping her feet, making indentations. Wearily she pulled out a switchblade from her pocket and flicked it open. The silver handle emblazoned with the initials of her dead brother glimmered in the moonlight. The blade swept over the convertible top, tearing the material to shreds.  
  
By this point, all her actions were almost mechanical. All the emotions she had held back over the years came pouring out, fueled by anger, hatred, betrayal, and most of all the bitterness at the loss of innocence. She hopped off the roof and snatched up her duffel bag, stuffing the bat back inside. She wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her gloved hand. She reached for the door handle opening to get inside. The spray paint cans she armed herself with were shaken before spouts of white and red were intertwined in streaks across the matted leather. She didn't stop until every last bit was emptied out on the interiors of his car.  
  
The cans were disposed with the bat in the bag, and she stood back admiring her work. Her arms folded across her chest, and a frown marred the contentment that should have been on her face.  
  
It still needs something else.  
  
A slow smile crept up on her lips. The switchblade was pulled out once again and she set to work carving out the one word that could sum it all up. HE would learn the ultimate humiliation of the word.  
  
Whore.  
  
Now all we need is a little picture.  
  
--------------------------------  
  
Yuuki rinsed out the inside of her mouth with some water from the tap, gargling the water to get the disgusting taste of him out of her mouth. She jumped a little against the sink as she heard something snap, probably bone. The muffled cries seemed to soar to new crescendos in an agonizing song of pain.  
  
"Yuuki!"  
  
She spit the water out and turned off the lights in the kitchen, making her way back towards the bedroom. The camera strap toted around her wrist and she raised it up to her face, seeing the piece of work her accomplice had created. It was a subtle mixture in shades of blue, black, and red on his olive complexion. His lip was split and blood dripped down his chest. To top it off, Thomas had taken a lacy pink bra, managing to strap it around his bare chest. A purple feathery boa rested around his neck, while a male blow-up doll was tucked beside him. His ankles were wrapped by a sheet tied to the legs of the bed. His entire body was rendered immobile. He was the poster child for S&M with a mix of homosexual innuendo. "He still needs a little something more," she laughed, handing the camera to Thomas.  
  
She twisted the cap of her lipstick open and straddled him. The hot pink lip color was applied to his chest bearing the name "Man Whore." She smiled to herself, admiring the job well done and slid off his body onto the ground. "Take the pictures."  
  
Their prisoner struggled and moaned underneath his confines. All the anger to fight back was resurfacing, but he knew nothing he did could set him free.  
  
"Come on. At least try to smile for the camera. Let's see that sexy pose," Thomas taunted as he snapped away on his digital camera. He flipped the camera around letting his subject take a sneak peek at the soon to be printed images. "Well, it looks like we're done here. We better get going." He slapped him on the leg and laughed. "Don't even think about trying to call the cops on us. If you so much as breathe a word or come near Sakurako again, we'll make sure this picture is put on a billboard, a blimp, mailed to every address within a 20 mile radius, and specially delivered to your company president. Wouldn't it be so nice if they found out one of their employees was up to less than normal behavior on his off time? Oh, and one last warning. We have more friends who wouldn't go this easy on you if they knew what you've done. Be glad all you got was this."  
  
"Let's go," Yuuki warned him, pulling him away. She pulled him away from the room and pointed him towards the exit.  
  
"Mhmm!"  
  
She stopped and turned around after slinging her coat back on and tying the coat closed. "Oh, you want us to untie you? Don't worry, puppy. I left a note with your building manager to come up here and check on the electrical problem in the bedroom. He'll be by first thing in the morning. Goodbye, puppy!" she waved.  
  
Thomas yanked her arm out the door and they ran down the emergency exit stairs as if their lives depended on it. Screaming and laughing in hysterics, they bowled over each other, heaving as they reached the bottom of the steps leading to a side exit out onto the street.  
  
"Did you see that look on his face?!"  
  
"I still can't believe you brought that male blow-up dummy," she laughed, gasping for air. "I think I'm going to pee in my pants if I don't stop laughing!"  
  
He wiped the tears forming in his eyes and heard the impatient honk of the horn. "Come on," he tugged on her shoulder. "We should get going before Tsukushi decides to leave without us."  
  
In return, she nodded her head and ran after him towards the car.  
  
Operation Random Acts of Violence: Complete.  
  
-----------------------  
  
Sakurako finished buttoning the last button on her shirt when she heard the small knock at the door. "Come in." She glided across the room and reached for the hairbrush on the table, trying to pull out the gnarls in her matted hair while painfully trying to avoid the burgeoning lump on her head. As her hand tugged on the comb, trying to pull out one especially annoying knot, the brush fell from her hands. "Mother fu. . ."  
  
"Here, let me help you," Tsukasa offered, walking across the room towards her injured self. He picked the brush off the floor and slowly picked up the tangled mess her hands were working on moments before. "I've never done this before, so I apologize in advance if I do this wrong." He knelt down on his knees beside her on the chair with his head hovering over her shoulder. His eyebrows knitted in deep concentration as if he were handling fine strands of threaded silk.  
  
Her own body stiffened at the intimate contact. It was rare that anyone handled her so delicately. Years, perhaps, since someone had knelt beside her, brushing her hair. Memories of a time long ago forgotten emerged within her. It was an act that resembled the sheer thought of home, the home she had foolishly rejected, and a home she was too scared to ever return to. It was better that way. The elderly couple never deserved to have the burden to take care of such a hellion. Her fingers deftly moved towards his wayward bang that fell over his eyes as he worked. "Your hair is straight," she randomly commented.  
  
He smiled and continued working. "It does that when I wash it."  
  
"You look much better with it straight."  
  
"I'll remember that."  
  
Their random conversation ended like that. Instead of trying to find more conversation to fill the awkward silence, they chose rather to enjoy it for what it was worth. There was too much that needed to be said, yet so much that didn't.  
  
---------------------------  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow, Yuuki," Tsukushi waved from inside of her car.  
  
"Okay, bye! I don't think I've had this much fun in a long time," she laughed, slamming the car door shut. Her fingers remained tightly gripped at her collar, trying to close up the trench coat wrapped around her petite frame.  
  
"I'll be right back." Thomas patted the hood of the car and turned around to catch up to Yuuki, whom he had offered to escort back to her door. He ignored that glint in Tsukushi's face that only foretold more plotting going on inside her devious mind.  
  
She waited for him at the curb to walk with her. The cool night air felt good against her hot skin underneath the coat. Even though a soft downward wind could be felt beneath her cover, the humidity was still causing her body to be hot and sticky in certain places. "God, I'm suffocating underneath this," she complained, picking up her pace. I can't wait to get inside the house and into some AC."  
  
"Well, at least we got to take off the wigs. That moustache was really itchy. I have to remember that for further reference if I ever get it into my head to grow one."  
  
"That's good. I don't like them much. Facial hair is a big turn-off for me. Kissing the guy is like rubbing a prickly piece of bark against my face. It's dangerous to kiss a guy with it. A girl could end up with some serious rug burn on her face."  
  
"Well, girls should take the same courtesy to wax their lips, too. Geez, I've met quite few girls and I swear they could probably grow a beard faster than I could."  
  
"Are you sure they weren't really men? Some of those transvestites can be pretty shady.  
  
"Maybe."  
  
She stopped outside her door, and peered over his shoulder, noticing Tsukushi toying with the dials of her car radio. She seemed oddly preoccupied with the fumbling of knobs. "So, here we are. Thanks for the escort," she smiled. The keys to the door turned, unlocking it and letting the cool breeze of the air-conditioned house blow at them.  
  
"You're welcome." He fidgeted with his hands, keeping his eyes intently locked on hers. "Yuuki. . ."  
  
"Hmm. . ."  
  
Deciding to throw caution out the window, blaming it all on the adrenaline rush still in him from their prank, he pulled her towards him. His arm wrapped around her waist, steadying her from falling, and his lips bent down, tasting her. His lips melded against hers without any rushed urgency or insane passion. It was more of a gently teasing kiss that lingered, making his mind go hazy, reminiscent of one's first kiss, the one that you compare every kiss you'll ever have afterwards. He pulled himself away, keeping his emotions in check and smirked. "Since I got to break up with you tonight, I thought it would only be fair that we have a little make up at the end of the night."  
  
"Uh huh," she mumbled, touching her fingertips to her assaulted lips. "Good night," she shakily whispered, turning around and closing the door.  
  
Thomas released the breath he was holding, thanking the gods that she didn't press him about his rash actions. He knew it was stupid to pull something like that, but he rationalized it all out. Nervously he ran his hands through his blonde locks, trying to make some sense out of what compelled him to do that. His path of steps swayed from one side to the other in a drunken fashion.  
  
I was caught up in the moment. That was all.  
  
Tsukushi blinked, trying to process what she had just witnessed. She never thought that he would actually go along with the scheme she had hatched to help her two friends. Maybe Yuuki would be easier to persuade to go along with the deal. However, a frown settled over her. The kiss seemed a little too real for her. There might be something behind the act itself.  
  
Yuuki and Thomas? Nah. Then again, stranger things have happened.  
  
"Hey, lover boy!" she yelled as Thomas opened the car door. "That was definitely an interesting little show you put on there.  
  
He settled himself into the passenger seat and fastened the safety belt. "Shut up," he snapped.  
  
"Aw, come one. Don't feel like you've betrayed Sakurako or anything."  
  
"Will you give up with that insane plan of yours? I'm not going through with it. As much as I want Sakurako to take me seriously I will not stoop to that level of messing with people's heads. It's scams like that, that get people into trouble. You've been watching too much TV to think that something like that would really work."  
  
"It could," she smiled as she tapped her fingers on the steering wheel along with the rhythm of the music playing through the radio. "You two seem to need all the help you can get."  
  
"What if we don't want any help? What if I'm happy the way things are going?"  
  
"You do realize that Sakurako is out there right now looking for something serious. I would love nothing more than to finally get you two together. She has to come out of that denial at some point that you wouldn't go well together. You can't deny what is obvious."  
  
"So what if it is? She's never going to come around. I've known her for what? 5 years? Not once has she ever taken my offers."  
  
"First of all, you and I both know where she came from. She doesn't trust older men that easily, based on her prior experience. Secondly, I know you've always had a little bit of a thing for her even though there's the age thing. Eight years is kind of a huge gap, but Sakurako really does need someone who can take care of her. She can barely take care of herself. She needs someone like you who gives a damn about her."  
  
He shook his head. "Still not going to do it. Stop pushing this. Anyway even if I did agree to do this, Yuuki would definitely not go for it."  
  
"You don't know the lengths a woman would go to, to get what she wants."  
  
"End of discussion." He lifted a hand to silence her. "Eh! No more."  
  
"Let me just say one last thing. Susumu said he always saw you two ending up together. He could see the potential. You just have to make it real."  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
Sakurako almost purred at the soft scraping motions of the brush against her scalp. She almost resembled a cat with its eyes half closed at having its head scratched by its master. "That feels so good." Her head rolled to the side as her body began to slump over the vanity.  
  
"I think you've had enough. I think you've been up late enough." He scratched the back of his head trying to think of where to put her. "You can take Kaya's room, I guess. I still don't understand where Tsukushi went."  
  
"Where did she go anyway? I don't really remember much before she left."  
  
"I don't know, but she told me to look after you, so I'll do just that." He wasted no time and picked her up out of the chair, carrying her out of the room.  
  
"You know, you're spoiling me. I may never want to walk again."  
  
"I don't think my arms can handle much more of your fat ass. Now I know where you put all that food," he laughed, struggling with the wriggling girl in his arms trying to strangle him. "Stop that! I'm going to drop you if you don't stop that!"  
  
"Punk," she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.  
  
They stopped in front of Kaya's room and she was gently dropped to the ground. Her feet touched down onto the carpeting. When the lights flickered on, she stood paralyzed in the room. Colors surrounded her, wrapping her into a fantasyland of children's dreams. Dolls, toys, and books were scattered throughout the floor and in bins.  
  
"Whoa! It looks like a tornado blew through here and her name is Kaya," Tsukasa whistled, kicking over a Hello Kitty doll under his foot. "I think you can find the bed in there somewhere." He turned to leave, but a tug at his arm stopped him.  
  
Her face paled. "I can't stay here," she barely whispered.  
  
It was a sensory overload for her. Her eyes roamed throughout the room, taking in all the childish knick-knacks and baubles on the walls, on the floor, and probably the bed. The finger paintings with the chicken scratch labeling the artist and the subject tore at her heart. It was too much for her.  
  
Would his room have looked like this?  
  
"Sakurako, what's wrong?"  
  
She clung to his arm, refusing to let him go. "Let me sleep in your room," she demanded in an almost pleading voice bordering on begging. Quickly she covered up her odd behavior. "I don't want to be alone. Can I stay with you?"  
  
Tsukasa focused on her face, noticing the look of utter terror there. He'd seen a lot of emotions play over her face, but changed his mind upon thinking of asking her why. It had been a long night, and he was more than willing to comply with her needs if it would allow him to get at least three hours of sleep before the sun rose. "Fine. I'll sleep on the floor."  
  
They walked back into his room. Grabbing a pillow and a sheet, he tossed them onto the ground making a makeshift bed. His actions were robotic, seeing as how his brain had shut off about a half hour ago.  
  
"Thank you," she weakly whispered as she reached over to turn off the lamp. Sakurako sunk low into the bed, covering herself from the neck down with the sheet. "Good night."  
  
It was easier said than done for him to find sleep that night as he tossed and turned. His back ached against the hard floor. For someone who had become accustomed to sleeping on a soft mattress, it was a challenge to get to sleep. Finally giving up, he sat up and peered over the side of the bed to see Sakurako's back turned to him. He sighed to himself, knowing that it was the only honorable thing to do. Her soft breaths echoed in the still night, and he picked up the sheet and pillow, dragging them behind him.  
  
Maybe I can get some sleep in the kid's room.  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
The hands of her watch pointed at 4:30 in the morning. In a few hours, the sun would rise out of the horizon welcoming a new day. She was still in yesterday according to her internal clock. Her arms were sore from wielding the bat, and her eyes bleary. She didn't even remember how she managed to park her car and get into the apartment. Locking the door behind her, she dropped her duffel bag to the ground and peeled off the black hoodie she had worn to cover her head.  
  
"Is anyone awake?" she hissed to the darkened apartment.  
  
When no response came, she shrugged her shoulders and walked towards her room. She already came to the conclusion that Sakurako wouldn't sleep in Kaya's room due to her child issues. It was more than a surprise to her when she found her own bed empty. The only remaining place was Tsukasa's room, so she gently pushed his door open finding Sakurako curled up into a fetal position. Her eyes scanned the room finding no sign of Tsukasa in the vicinity.  
  
Maybe he's in Kaya's room.  
  
Her hand pushed open the door, opening it up a creak. She held her hand up to her mouth, stifling the giggle that wanted to come out. Here was the big bad Tsukasa curled under a Power Puffs comforter with his arm draped over a Hello Kitty doll. His face was fixed into a peaceful angelic pose. "Tsukasa," she whispered, nudging his arm. He only hugged the doll tighter and returned to his dreamland, ignoring her intrusion. Looking down at him, she almost laughed.  
  
He really does look kind of cute when he sleeps. It looks like I didn't only pick up a new worker and roommate when I took him in. I adopted another kid to take care of.  
  
Her motherly instincts kicked in, and she thought it might work if she used the same method she used to wake up Kaya when she was dead to the world. Brushing her hand across his cheek, her fingers lingered across his face, studying his features. She wrapped her finger around a curl on his head. Leaning down to his ear, she whispered sweetly, "Wake up, Tsukasa."  
  
He could hear a voice calling him in his dreams. His body slowly began to rouse, as he turned over. For a moment, he thought of telling the sweet- voiced maid to just leave, but the back of his mind protested to not send her away. Slowly, his eyes opened and his vision slowly focused on the face in front of him.  
  
A wisp of her hair fell onto his face, and she moved to push it behind her ear. "Morning," she smiled.  
  
"Tsukushi?" When did you get back? Where did you go?" Thousands of questions came to mind, trying to figure out why she would leave Sakurako when she needed her the most, leaving him vulnerably alone with her.  
  
She placed a finger over his lips. "Shh. It's late, and I need some sleep. I'll tell you all about it in the morning. I just wanted to make sure Sakurako was okay."  
  
"Yeah, she's fine. She had a minor concussion. The only visible signs of what happened are the black eye and a few minor cuts and scrapes. She'll be fine."  
  
"Good." She stood up from the bed, and maneuvered her way out of the dark room. It was rather funny the way she seemed to have memorized the path. "Get some sleep."  
  
He drowsily nodded his head. A few seconds later all was forgotten of their late night exchange and he drifted off to sleep.  
  
Tsukushi peeled off her clothes, carelessly leaving them on the ground. She would have to pick them up tomorrow. For now, sleep was what mattered. Only clad in a bra and panties, she crawled beneath her sheets and fell asleep.  
  
---------------------------------------------  
  
Somewhere across town, another girl was doing the same exact thing. Yuuki curled up under her covers. When Thomas had left her at the door about twenty minutes ago, the weariness in her body took over. Although she still couldn't shake the after-effects of that kiss, her body refused to let her mind linger on the idea any longer. Slowly, her eyes closed, welcoming the darkness.  
  
Knock-knock.  
  
Who the hell is that?  
  
Her eyes opened and the light was turned on. Glancing on the clock on her nightstand, she took note of the fact that it was already a little after 4 in the morning. For a moment, she panicked, thinking it could be something about Sakurako. She rolled herself out of bed, nearly tripping over her shoes that had been dropped onto the floor. Without thinking, she thrust the door open.  
  
"Yuuki?"  
  
"Jiro?" she yawned, perplexed at his late night visit. "What's the matter?"  
  
He stood out on the doorstep without a shirt on. His boxers hung low on his hips, and a pair of sandals adorned his feet. Judging from his disheveled appearance, he looked like he had been sleeping moments ago, which was exactly what she wanted to be doing at the moment.  
  
"I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I saw someone leaving your place earlier."  
  
"Come inside. It's kinda weird having you standing half naked outside my door."  
  
He nodded his head and entered. Taking a seat on the couch, he questioningly eyed her attire. "Why are you wearing that trench coat indoors?"  
  
The greater question he wanted to ask was for the identity of the man who dropped her off earlier at the door. It irked him a bit to see her return home in the middle of the night with a strange man he had never seen before. Usually Yuuki would tell him about any dates she intended to go out on. He had come to be accustomed to hearing her cheerily chatter on and on about her date's attributes. It was questionable when she seemed to slink into the house at an odd hour with a man who left a more than friendly first date kiss. What was even shadier was the bulky trench coat she wore in ninety five degree weather.  
  
She looked down, realizing that she had in fact lay down in bed still clad in her battle attire. "Oh, thanks." Her mind was not even thinking coherently as she stripped herself of her outer garments. "You know what, I'm really tired right now. I'm going to bed. Lock up for me, will you?" With that said, she got up and walked into her bedroom, flopping down on the bed. "I'll see you tomorrow morning!"  
  
Soujiro dumbly nodded his head, not quite processing what had happened. Whatever it was, he would find out the next morning. It was a fact, he would find out what happened. Deciding to forego the trek across the street back to his own abode, he settled himself on the couch and went to sleep.  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
His mouth was filled with the disgusting taste of too much fine alcohol. That was the problem with going out with richer, older, married women. They all wanted to be finely wined and dined, something their husbands weren't willing to offer. Everything had been going fine. He got the girl, had the clothes, took her to the right places and was ready to seal the deal. Then it happened. The husband had to walk through the door during foreplay.  
  
Nothing kills the mood better than the sound of a man screaming for his gun.  
  
He barely even had a chance to slap on his boxers before he ran out the door. Well, at least he escaped this time with his pants in tow. It would have really sucked having to replace another pair of designer slacks.  
  
Inside he burned with a sense of being unfulfilled. Physically he was so close to getting what he wanted, but emotionally he remained withdrawn in the situation. The words kept replaying in his mind.  
  
"We could be something great."  
  
That jackass.  
  
He hated to admit it, but it stung to see Tsukushi have that look of second- guessing herself on the decision to let that guy leave. His eyes remained fixed on the road ahead of him. It was too early to go home and too late to have the energy to crawl home. Switching his left blinker on, he headed towards the direction of where his unrequited answers could be found.  
  
His mind was walking on that fine line between sobriety and drunkenness. There was just enough in his system to allow him to walk a straight line, but also just enough to blame any of his actions on the alcohol. As he reached into his pocket finding the set of keys on the key ring to Tsukushi's apartment, he unlocked the door and stumbled inside. From the window of the balcony, he could make out the faint traces of red, orange, and yellow breaking through the dark night. The sky started to lighten up from its pitch-black color to a hazy purple. Ignoring the miraculous sight of nature in front of him, he trudged towards her bedroom door. He would barely remember stripping all of his clothes off on the way there.  
  
She was beautiful. Her soft pink lips were formed in a small pout while she slept. One hand lay underneath her head, pillowing it. She shivered a bit under the intense blast of air conditioning circulating in the room. Her pool of hair fanned out around her sleeping form with some veiling part of her face. He gently reached down and brushed the offending strands away from her face. Seeing her so peacefully dead to the world, he wanted nothing more than to wake up next to an angel like her every morning. He had searched so long, and she was the one he wanted the entire time. He stumbled over to the opposite side of the bed, and lifted the sheets up to slide in beside her. His arms snaked around her waist and he buried his face in the back of her neck, inhaling the sweet scent of her body. His heated skin melded against hers underneath the warmed covers. He grimaced, realizing that in his own nudity, she had chosen some modesty in keeping her bra and panties on.  
  
Tsukushi felt something heavy move onto the bed beside her. She tried her best to control her mind, thinking it was nothing but the dream she was encountering, but her body began to sensitize to the external elements, causing her to awaken. Panic filled her as she felt arms around her. The next thing that really awakened her was the sensation of another warm body against hers. She quickly ruled out the person being Tsukasa who was dead asleep in Kaya's room or Sakurako who just didn't swing that way. She carefully rolled over and came face to face with someone she least expected to find in her bed.  
  
"Akira?" she gasped. She moved to wriggle out of his grasp, but found his arms to only wrap tighter around her, trapping her in his grasp.  
  
"I won't let you go," he murmured in his sleep.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
She carefully lifted the sheet only to drop them back to focus on something other than what she had just seen. "Akira! You're naked!" she hissed into his ear.  
  
"Too loud!" he groaned, burying his face into her hair. "Go back to sleep."  
  
"I would if you weren't naked next to me." Once again, she shifted her body, trying to move away from him, but found his arm slung over her too heavy to move and his grip too tight.  
  
"Doesn't matter. Sleep now."  
  
"Fine," she huffed. Turning around once again, she closed her eyes and forced herself back to sleep. "I am so going to kick your naked ass in the morning."  
  
"Tsukushi. . ."  
  
God, he's either too drunk or sleepy to do anything now. I shouldn't even take him seriously. Half of the things he'll say or do are probably out of his own dazed stupor. For some reason I can't really believe he is out of it. I think he knows exactly what he is doing.  
  
"I know you're perfectly awake, Akira. Stop faking."  
  
"You know me too well," his completely coherent and clear voice replied.  
  
"What are you doing in my bed?"  
  
"I didn't want to go home."  
  
"Fair enough. You've done this before. It's good that you're here, though. Sakurako is in Tsukasa's room."  
  
"With him?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"You seem rather defensive about that. Do you have a thing for him?" he sarcastically retorted.  
  
"Of course not. You just wouldn't understand how inappropriate that statement is after what happened to her today. I don't feel like talking about it right now. Why are you so possessive all of a sudden?"  
  
"You're thinking about him aren't you? You're actually considering what he said."  
  
"I don't know. Maybe."  
  
His grip tightened, squeezing her to a point where it bordered on becoming painful for Tsukushi. "Why him?" A hint of desperation filled his voice. "After all this time you would still look for someone else. I. . . I would have. . ."  
  
She rolled over to come face to face with him. She knew what he wanted to say, and to hear those words out of his mouth would have probably shattered her soul and her heart. Tsukushi did the only thing she could do to stop him. Her lips descended on his into a feathery kiss. Tears rolled down her cheeks, falling against his lips. His tongue darted out catching a few of the salty tears. He couldn't get enough of the taste of her. Not wanting her to end it all just yet, he devoured her mouth, fully tasting her. He could sense her giving into him and becoming more responsive to his ministrations. For now, he had her body on his side. Her heart would be another thing.  
  
"Akira," she cried against his lips.  
  
"I just need to know why?"  
  
She pulled back panting. This time she kissed him one last time on the lips, trailing her lips upwards on his nose to his forehead. She began close herself off to him once more. This was too much to deal with now. It was something she knew should have remained in the past. They vowed to never speak of it.  
  
"Go to sleep, Akira." She rolled over and hugged the pillow underneath her blanket, hoping he wouldn't press her any further.  
  
Akira laid back on his head, and stared up at the ceiling. The taste of her still lingered in his mouth. He didn't even know what came over him, and a pang of guilt came over him at the impending after-effects of what had just occurred. "Oh god, I'm sorry, Tsukushi," he whispered into the night. He waited for her reply to his apology, but none ever came. "I love you. I still love you."  
  
She gently entwined her fingers with his at her stomach. "I know you're sorry," she offered. "Forget what happened tonight. It was all a random act."  
  
He wryly grinned at her words. Some part of him hated the fact that she would dismiss their exchange, but at the same time, he was a little relieved of the assurance that no more thought would be put on what happened for either side.  
  
It was a rule long ago made within the circle of Last Resort. It was a given that emotions could run high, actions would be taken, and consequences that neither wanted to deal with would come back. Random Act was a code for them. It was like a call for no harm, no foul on either party. No party would be held accountable. You can't blame someone for what was said or done when their motivation was all based on the outcome of a random act.  
  
That was all that his confession tonight would ever be. His words would be forgotten. Her kisses would be meaningless. Tonight would be like a dream. After all, it was a random act.  
  
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A/N: This chapter is written for all of you wanting some more Akira action. I love being the puppet master stringing these characters along. I'm so sadistic in that sense. For those of you who haven't noticed yet, I've posted a prequel to Last Resort, Introspection. Please read it because further storylines to Last Resort will have references to Introspection. 


	13. Aftermath

Disclaimer: It's been said time and time again.  
  
Chapter 13: Aftermath  
  
  
  
Tsukasa grumbled, tumbling out of the doorway.   
  
Tsukushi touched the top of her head, feeling the odd shape her hair had taken after a not so peaceful sleep last night. She trudged over to the kitchen, hearing the soft patter of Tsukasa's feet across the living room to the hallway bathroom. Soon the sound of the shower being turned on sliced through the dead silence. She moved through her normal routine, although it was already about nine, about two hours past her normal wake up time. Her hand cupped her mouth, stifling another yawn as she sat on the counter with her head resting on her chin, staring at the tiny drops of liquid ecstasy dribble into the coffee pot.   
  
_I still love you.  
  
_Random, random, random act, she grumbled to herself.   
  
Why did you have to bring it up?  
  
The unnerving feeling of his words penetrated through her defenses, rendering her completely unsure of herself. What else was there to do? She rolled her shoulders, trying to ease the tension out of her sore muscles. It wasn't exactly the best situation to be rudely awakened about an hour after having finally fallen asleep by a naked man in your bed. Tsukushi had to be one of the very few to protest having a beautifully-sculpted naked man slide into bed with you, professing some twisted eternal vow of love, and be creeped out by it.   
  
Nothing's ever easy is it?  
  
She hopped off the cold, hard stool and began rummaging through the cupboard for something to suitable to make for breakfast. Choosing to desist the nitpicking over the drama known as her life, she pulled out the necessary items to feed the hungry mouths when they awakened.   
  
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Sakurako rolled over with a painful groan, gripping her sides to try to ease the soreness. That fall out of the car had taken its toll on her, and it seemed like every movement, down to blinking, hurt. Her eyes fluttered open to be met by the blinding light streaming through the windows. For a moment, she wondered to herself if last night had been all a dream. It would have made it all the better if it had been just some strange dream concocted by her mind. Her arm snaked out from under the sheets, reaching for her clock, which would have been on the nightstand, but was met by nothing more than a lamp. She bolted upright, and through one bruised, bloodshot eye and another wide open one she made out the reflection of her face in the vanity against the wall.   
  
  
  
The covers were pushed aside, and all the aches and pains forgotten for the shock of her own appearance in the mirror. She was entranced by the reflection like the way birds are mesmerized by their own reflection. It was a surreal experience. In her dazed state, she made her way towards the mirror and collapsed on the ground. Like a frightened child, she tucked her knees against her chest and rested her chin on them. A shaky hand extended from the woman in the mirror touching her own, forming that connection between her and the other woman. The hand retracted from the cool glass towards her own marred face, tracing the outer edges of the discolorations in her porcelain skin.   
  
Pride.  
  
She had always prided herself in her flawless and seemingly eternal youthful beauty. All through the years with the growing in her age, she had only really cared about one thing. It was her selfish delusion. In a way, her pride had served as some kind of defense mechanism against the world. As long as she remained preoccupied with her own vanity, nothing else mattered. Not the pain of losing them. Not the shame for betraying them. Not even the loss of him. Pride had driven her to the lengths she had gone to, a point where she could barely recognize the child pretending to be a woman underneath all the makeup and cosmetic enhancements. It was always a game back then, a test of wills. No man could deny a body and face like hers. As long as she remained beautiful, she was desired, and she loved it that way.   
  
My beautiful girl, you'll always be mine. You're my favorite doll.   
  
That's what they all said.   
  
I've been beaten, broken, and tossed to the ground. They pulled me out from the inside out, and yet I live on. They've put me back together so many times I've lost count. And every time, I came running back with that same smile. I had you all. I had them young. I had them old. I had some that probably were old enough to be my daddy. Who could resist a face or body like this?  
She buried her face into her knees, refusing to look any longer at the gross reflection of herself in the mirror. It was too much to face the revelation in front of her. All this time she tried to cover up what was beneath the surface, thinking if she changed it enough no one would notice. Paranoia swept through her as the taunting voices within haunted her.   
  
Pretty girl, you had everyone's eyes on you. From the sway of your hips, to the pout in your lips, pretty girl, you got what you wanted.   
  
I never wanted this.  
  
Are you sure?   
  
Yes.  
  
Fine, then no one will play.  
  
No one wants to play?  
  
If you want them to come, you've got to play by their rules.  
  
But I don't want to. Aren't I still pretty?  
  
You're being silly. You are what you've always been.  
  
What am I?  
  
Nothing.   
  
For the first time in a long time, Sakurako cried the true tears. All false pretenses were lost. Huddled in a ball in the middle of a big room, lay a little girl. She was a woman of 20, searching for the child she never was.   
  
------------------------------------   
  
Akira stretched his arm, reaching for the source of warmth he knew would be beside him. A scowl stretched across his face, at the touch of nothing but empty space. He opened his eyes, gulping down the lump in his throat, hoping she would be there, hoping that maybe last night wouldn't be the mistake she had played it off as. All hope died as soon as he saw expanse of empty space in front of him. His skin tingled under the light blast of air conditioning circulating around the room.   
  
He licked his dry lips, faintly tasting the sweet taste of her still on his lips. Never were his dreams this vivid that he could taste and smell her all around him, choking and ridiculing him for ever believing he could have that which was untouchable.   
  
She's too good for me.  
  
And that was the exact reason he never really fervently pursued her. He chose instead a life of casual intimacy with random women. Psychologists would probably tell him he aimed for the ones that were forbidden just because they were. Just like she was forbidden. If he couldn't have her, then he would get all the others like some sick twisted game adding to the tally. Breaking the conventions of human relationships became his thrill. He was willing, and so were they.  
Like the saying goes, Easy come, easy fuck.'   
  
He shook his head, trying to fight over the haze his hangover was succumbing his body to. Although most of the intoxicating effects of his late night rendezvous had vanished early in the morning when he stumbled into her apartment, he vaguely remembered bits and pieces of what happened before he got there. It was ironic that his drunken stupor had lifted before he made an ass out of himself in front of Tsukushi. Why couldn't he have been an ass earlier during his date? Fate was cruel like that.   
  
The idea of burrowing under the covers and going back to sleep was tempting, but the churning of his stomach told him a different story as to the plan of action. He choked down the acidic bile rising in his throat, creating a noxious taste of alcohol in his mouth. He needed something in his system to keep it down. Food would help, a bit. The only problem would be the person on the other side of that door making the food. It was a conflict of not wanting to face her, and the acknowledgement that sooner or later he would have to. Choosing the latter as a better course of action, he slipped out of the bed and walked towards the door.   
  
I'm safe, right? She called a random act.  
  
---------------------------------------   
  
Tsukasa stepped out of the shower feeling a little more refreshed than he was moments ago. He slipped into the living room, following the scent of breakfast on the stove. His stomach grumbled, pleading to be fed. As he plodded his way through towards the kitchen, he spotted the small plastic bag by the side of the couch. He suddenly remembered what it was when he peeked inside. In all the confusion yesterday, he had forgotten all about it. Grinning to himself, he slung the bag over his shoulder and marched into the kitchen.   
  
She looked up as she turned the stove off. Picking up the hot pan and spatula, she dumped them into the sink to be washed later. Her hands made quick work of cleaning up the rest of the dirty cookware. On the kitchen table sat a large plate of pancakes varying in flavor from blueberry to chocolate chip. Fresh fruit compote was placed in different bowls beside the three bottles of various syrups. To top it all off, fresh coffee and orange juice was poured out at the four place settings.   
  
Need some help? Tsukasa asked, seating himself down at the table.  
  
Just like a man to show up when the woman is done cooking, she laughed, wiping her hands on the apron tied around her waist. She pulled out the chair across from him, and rested her chin in the palm of her hand. Wryly smiling, she stared ahead at him, locking eyes. Since we had lessons in laundry yesterday, how about I give you some cooking lessons? You know nothing is sexier than a man making a woman breakfast in the morning.  
  
Ah! I think you will like my little present then. His voice dipped a few octaves lower as he suggestively leaned over the table, whispering those covert words to her. I know you have a thing for sweets.  
  
she squealed, still playing along with their little role-playing game. She childishly held out her hands, waiting for the said item to be placed in them.   
  
Nope. You've got to close your eyes first.  
  
she pouted, closing her eyes.   
  
Tsukasa slipped the box out of the bag he had found earlier and placed it on the table. Open them.  
  
She slowly cracked open one eye to sneak a peek at her present before jumping out of her seat and pulling his face towards hers, planting a wet sloppy kiss on his cheek like a dog would to its master after a long bout of begging. The box was snatched off the table and hugged to her chest in an unwillingness to share. Oh baby, you bought me preserved and pre-packaged baked goods. How sweet!  
  
Well, I like to keep my woman happy. He rubbed the back of his hand over the cheek that was still wet from the kiss. If Ring Dings make you react like that, I wonder what Ho-Ho's would do?  
  
She winked over her shoulder as she got up in search of a plate. Ho-Ho's might end up getting you laid, mister. Devil Dogs are a guaranteed third base, though. Ah, here it is. She plucked the large plate out of the cupboard and put it in the center of the table. One by one the small pastries were placed on the dish creating a small pyramid, a nice little decorative centerpiece.   
  
Did I hear something about Ho-Ho's? a masculine voice inquired from the doorway.  
  
We were just discussing the erotic effects of baked goods on me, Tsukushi shrugged, trying to maintain a straight face in front of Akira.   
  
Tsukasa turned around, but quickly jerked his head back and his mouth remained slightly open. Suddenly, the pattern of the tablecloth was oddly fascinating. When did you come over? I didn't even hear the door ring.  
  
I slipped in a few minutes ago.  
  
How'd you get in without anyone noticing?  
  
Tsukushi interjected, filling in the explanation, not wanting to drag out any more details about how Akira mysteriously appeared in the apartment. I gave him a spare key last time he unexpectedly dropped by. I was worried one day he would stand outside so long the neighbors would call the cops to get him for indecent exposure.   
  
Tsukasa nodded his head in acceptance to the explanation. I don't get it how this kind of thing happens to you so often, man.  
  
Akira sauntered over to the sink where Tsukushi was adjusting the controls of the coffee maker. He nonchalantly leaned in front of her, reaching for his coffee mug to the right of her. Seeing no response from her, he bumped the side of his hip against hers, trying to knock her off balance.   
  
Random act, he whispered. His eyes searched for some reaction in her to know where they stood at the moment.  
  
She offered a small smile, and leaned her head against his shoulder, whispering, Random act.  
  
Do I smell pancakes? a fourth voice piped. I'm starving. Sakurako slipped into the closest seat and began piling her plate up. Hey, you've got Ring Dings!  
  
You okay? Tsukasa timidly asked. He turned to the woman next to him, pretending like nothing was wrong in the world. All was forgotten.   
  
She placed her tiny hand over his on the table, and squeezed it. Yes, thank you.  
  
What would be wrong with Sakurako? Akira spun around, sipping on his coffee, but rudely spat it all out like a fountain. Coffee splattered all over the diners at the table.  
  
Gross, Akira! Sakurako wailed, wiping her face with a napkin. What the fuck is wrong with you?  
  
He shoved the coffee into Tsukushi's hands and stomped over to the table. His palm cupped her chin, raising her head to tilt at an angle providing better lighting. Even underneath the carefully applied makeup and concealer, he could see the traces of the bruises. Her eye was still bloodshot from the direct hit. What happened?! he demanded, dropping his carefree persona. In its place, he chose to go into a violent tirade. Who the fuck did this to you?!  
  
It's nothing, she explained, shying away from his rough touch. It was just a bad date. You know, it's the same old story. Boy asks out girl. Girl accepts date. Boy picks up girl, takes her to a movie, and then some dinner. Girl wants to go home. Boy wants to get fucked. Girl says no. Boy shows her how badly he wants to be fucked whether she likes it or not. Girl gets beaten, but manages to escape from boy. Then, girl gets picked up by friend and taken home to lick her wounds. She nodded her head, emphasizing the accurate retelling of the events. Well, at least I got some good pie on the date. I seriously have to go back to that diner for some more. I swear, I was this close to having an orgasm from that pie alone, she halfheartedly laughed.   
  
He crinkled an eyebrow. Some asshole beats the shit out of you and all you can think about is pie?! What the fuck is wrong with you? He grabbed her wrist to try to pull her from her seat. You and I are going to pay this guy a visit, so I can kill him for doing this to you. We are leaving right now!  
  
Tsukushi gently scolded Akira, prying his hands from Sakurako's wrist. It's already been taken care of. That guy will think twice about messing with Sakurako again. I had a late night visit with him. She opened up a drawer and pulled out an envelope full of pictures. The photos scattered across the table, revealing various forms of the poor man's punishment.   
  
Oh my god! Sakurako's eyes bulged at the sight of the photos. How did you? The car? He's naked!  
  
What is all this? Akira asked, inspecting her handiwork.  
  
For some reason, I think it's better that I don't ask, Tsukasa remarked, holding up a photo of the man tied up on the bed as naked as the day he came into the world. One handcuffed hand was armed with a banana.   
  
It was a three-person covert mission. I got Yuuki and Thomas to help out last night. Thomas took care of disabling the car alarm and the security cameras. Yuuki used her feminine wiles to get into the apartment. Thomas took care of the little costume change. I took care of the car, but I do have to give most of the credit to Susumu's old baseball bat. That thing is really heavy. My arms are killing me.   
  
Everyone's faces deadpanned.  
  
  
  
I think I need a nice long soak in the hot tub this afternoon. She rolled her head to the sides, trying to crack the kinks in her neck and shoulders. Pushing the more than slightly pornographic photographs aside, she gathered them up and placed them back into the envelope. Here you go. A little souvenir from me to you. She chucked the envelope over to Sakurako, and began to pick through the stack of pancakes on her plate, ignoring the odd looks she was getting. Are you all going to eat or what?  
  
  
  
Sakurako tucked the envelope beneath her seat and leaned over, giving a quick kiss on the cheek to Tsukushi. You're the best.  
  
Damn. Remind me never to get on your bad side. Akira seated himself and immediately began devouring his pancakes, oblivious to the looks he was getting.  
  
Sometimes I think it's really unfair that a guy like you stays so lean, considering how you eat sometimes.  
  
I know. Look at this! Not one ounce of fat. Tsukushi prodded the upper torso of the man beside her.   
  
Shut up, and pass me a Ring Ding already, woman, he proudly declared, making a grab for more syrup for his pancake stack.   
  
Tsukasa shook his head, knowing that he was an outsider in a losing battle to understand their minds' workings. He released a heavy sigh, and picked at his breakfast.   
  
If you can't beat them, you might as well join them.   
  
He must burn a lot of calories when he makes those mad dashes out of those women's bedroom windows.  
  
Three forks fell onto their plates with a clatter. Akira, Tsukushi, and Sakurako raised their heads with smug grins on their faces. After all their hard work, they had finally managed to break through to him. They beamed like proud parents, listening to their protégé join in their asinine banter.   
  
Welcome to our world.   
  
You pose a good point. Tsukushi tapped a finely manicured finger against her lips, thinking about the proposed idea. Maybe I should take up early morning jogs through the city.  
  
Nah. I'm not much of a morning person to begin with. I have been thinking about joining a gym. I hear you can meet some pretty nice guys there. Sakurako picked up one of the chocolate pastries and took a large bite out of it. Closing her eyes to savor the sweet, rich flavor, she let out a slight moan. Good Ring Ding.  
  
Tsukushi finished the last of her own Ring Ding and daintily wiped her mouth clean of any traces of chocolate on her lips. I've been wondering about something, Akira?  
  
  
  
You do realize that you could have taken some of the clothes you picked out from Susumu's closet yesterday to wear today, right?  
  
And your point would be?  
  
Why do you feel the need to grace my kitchen table in your barrenness? I mean, look at what you have done in your own depravity. Tsukasa can eat his own breakfast without having to gag at the sight you hanging out. I mean, it's okay for Sakurako, and I have seen more of you than we have ever wanted to.  
  
I like the freedom, he resolutely concluded without a second thought. You should try it, it's quite liberating.  
  
He is kind of right,' Sakurako pointed out. I've tried it a few times. There's just a certain comfort level you can't get with clothes on.  
  
You two walk around your place naked?!  
  
Oh no! I didn't mean it like that. I maintain some modesty. I keep the undergarments on. She reached for the buttons on the oversized pajama shirt she wore and pulled it over her head, revealing a lacy black bra underneath. You can't say anything against his beliefs unless you try them.  
  
I guess you're right. I shouldn't be so prejudiced against the idea. Tsukushi soon followed suit and pulled her t-shirt up over her head, exposing her breasts clad in a simple blue brassiere.  
  
Ooh, I like your bra. Where did you get it? Sakurako gushed, taking a closer look at the intimate apparel.  
  
Victoria's Secret Summer collection, page 59. I also have the matching panties. Yours?  
  
Page 45.  
  
Nice. Hmm. . . It is rather nice eating breakfast slightly exposed. The kitchen was always rather stuffy. What do you think Tsukasa? She tilted her head to the side, requesting his opinion.  
  
Tsukasa swallowed the last of his coffee, and peered over his cup at three expectant faces. he grumbled. He abruptly stood up from his seat and peeled off his pants and t-shirt. Sitting back down he wriggled a bit in his chair, getting the full feel of the environment around him. Not bad.  
  
Their discussion was soon interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. Two sets of footsteps could be heard from outside the kitchen. Moments later, Kaya bounded into the kitchen and ran into Tsukushi's lap.   
  
Mama! I'm home! She wrapped her arms around her mother's neck for dear life.   
  
Tsukushi returned the embrace and reached for the string necklace around Kaya's neck. The string was removed from her neck with the single house key to the apartment dangling from it. I didn't expect you to be back so early. Did you have fun last night?  
  
Uh huh, she emphatically nodded. Papa and I watched movies until real late, and we had pizza and ice cream, too. He was going to make breakfast for us, but I saw some funny smoke coming out of the kitchen this morning. She pulled her mother's head down so she could speak in a hushed tone, Papa used a lot of bad words this morning.  
  
Hey! I did not use a lot of bad words! Rui retorted, trying to defend his actions. I just had a little argument with the smoke alarm this morning.  
  
I can already see it, Tsukushi moaned. I still remember the great omelet fiasco. I was finding bits of egg everywhere for weeks.  
  
Rui stood in the doorway, remaining impassive to the sight before him. His eyes roamed around the table seeing the four underdressed people seated around it.   
  
Papa sucks at cooking. I like eating mama's food much better. Kaya tucked her arms over her chest, nodding her head matter-of-factly.   
  
"Hey, I do not suck, Rui grumbled. He grabbed a plate and began to put together a small platter with a little bit of everything. Here, take this to the living room to eat. Leave us grown-ups to talk.  
  
She took the offered plate, and marched out of the kitchen. A few minutes later, the echo of the TV being turned on could be heard.   
  
She's right about your cooking sucking.   
  
I concur. Sakurako clinked her fork against Tsukushi's upraised one in agreement. I don't think I've ever eaten shit that bad.  
  
Hey, I try. He sauntered towards the table taking the last available seat. As he began to fill his empty plate, he glanced at his companions through the side of his eyes. The fork and knife clutched in his hands slammed down onto the table creating a large clamor. Something is very wrong with this picture!  
  
What?'  
  
Why are we having pancakes when it isn't Pancake Tuesday? By having it on Wednesday, you've defeated the whole purpose.  
  
Stop being such an uptight pain in the ass and eat your food, Tsukushi yelled with equal ferocity. You instigator.  
  
He moved to pick his fork up once again, but hesitated, putting it back down. His hands reached for the bottom of his polo shirt, and in one swift movement he tossed the shirt to the side with the rest of the discarded clothing on the floor. His pants slid down to his ankles and were kicked to the side. He sat back down, wearing his swim trunks and enjoying the new state of undress. Can someone pass me a Ring Ding?  
  
----------------------------------------   
  
Her eyelashes fluttered against her cheeks, as her mind roused itself from the deep recesses of sleep into the reality of the outside world. Clutching her head, she tried to squeeze the headache out of it. Her mind swam with that heady feeling from the precious few hours of sleep found and the stench of beer still on her skin. The smell was making her nauseous, a mixture of sweat, perfume, and cheap beer. Well, maybe not so cheap beer. Thomas really did go all out, using the imported kind and not domestic.   
  
Oh god, she groaned, rolling over and in that very graceful movement fell onto the floor out of the bed. Head spinning. Whoa! Remember to get up slowly next time. Her body wobbled as she grabbed the mattress as a support to lift herself off the ground.   
  
Shower.   
  
Yes, a shower would be first on the list of things to get done.  
  
She looked down, taking in her disheveled appearance. Some time in the night she must have unfastened the garters with the straps left hanging loosely down her thighs.   
  
Hmm. . . I wonder if this is what Sakurako woke up to every morning after a long night of work. I really am surrounded by too much depravity.   
  
Laughing to herself, she threw the bedroom door open to head towards the bathroom. Along the way down the hall, she picked up the articles she had dropped in the trek from the front door to the bed. She sighed, piling her arms full of discarded clothes and other miscellaneous junk that had seemed to accumulate in the last few days. The plan to seduce Soujiro seemed to be wreaking havoc in her priorities, throwing cleanliness down a notch.   
  
So, it had only been a few days into her plan. She didn't really expect any miracles to happen, but he could have at least played along with her, perhaps humor her. Nope. That wasn't Soujiro's style. He smiled, patted her on the head, and gave her a small smack on the butt to be on her merry way. Little did he know how much she enjoyed the harmless slap on the behind. Perhaps in a different setting involving handcuffs, and lots of leather and some role playing would have been more appropriate.   
  
Sounds kind of painful. Naw, I bruise easily.   
  
Geez, I need to take a good mop and broom to this mess.  
  
Maybe some Lsyol would help too, a voice echoed from the couch.  
  
Jiro? What are you doing here? And why are you sleeping on my couch? She furrowed her eyebrows as the large pile in her hands fell unceremoniously into a heap on the floor by her foot. She plopped onto the arm of the couch, peering down at his body sprawled on the length of the couch.   
  
You don't remember me dropping by last night?  
  
She scratched her head and lifted her arms up in the air, stretching out the kinks in her body. Not really. I'm a little hazy about what happened after Thomas dropped me off last night.  
  
Soujiro jerked upright, and placed the picture of Thomas over the mystery figure with Yuuki on the porch last night.   
  
Something in his head screamed that it just wasn't right. His eyes roamed over her scantily clad body, and he bit on the inside of his cheek to prevent himself from taking her then and there. After all, he was still a man. He internally struggled with the thoughts of what he wanted to do with the woman in front of him, fighting to resist the temptation. The way she oh so innocently folded her legs, exposing more of her leg with the rise of her panties. Then there was the way that corset hugged her every curve while exaggerating what was already abundant without it on top.   
  
Think unsexy thoughts, man. You can do this. Cold, cold shower. Yuuki is your sister. Your very incredibly hot sister who has no blood relation to you. Ah! Get it together, Jiro. Think Akira, Akira naked, sitting in front of me. Akira naked, sitting on the couch, and trying to get me to go play naked volleyball at the beach.   
  
Wait, didn't that happen last summer?  
  
A hand waved in front of his face. Distorting the disturbing image from his mind.   
  
Yuuki softly smiled. You seem to have drifted off awhile ago. Did you hear anything I just said?  
  
Sorry, no, he blushed.   
  
Well, forget about it. You'll probably hear my old war story when we go over to Tsukushi's place later. So, you still didn't answer my question about why you're here so early in the morning.  
  
"Oh, yeah. I came over last night because I noticed you had your lights on. I came over to check on you and see if everything was alright.  
  
Why were you up so late? she smirked. I came in pretty late last night.  
  
I had a date last night. Oh geez! I told her I would be right back! He rolled off the couch and scrambled onto his feet. Peeking through the window, he realized with a bit of disappointment that her car was gone. How long ago she had left was undeterminable. Well, I don't think I should be waiting for her to call me again.   
  
Light laughter drifted to his ears from behind. It started as a small giggle and slowly morphed into full out laughter, the kind you would have to hold your stomach to help ease the pain from laughing so hard.   
  
I can't believe you forgot about her, Yuuki wheezed.   
  
Tossing a pillow at her head, he frowned. Shut up!"  
  
Smooth move, Don Juan.  
  
I was a little preoccupied with checking up on you. The things I do for you. See if I come over the next time you hear some weird sound in the middle of the night. Fingers ran through his messy hair in frustration and anger. Well, at least I scored before she left. It doesn't really matter now that I think about it. She was probably about a 6. I'll have better luck tonight when I meet up with Erin. Now that girl is a 10.  
  
Her laughter died out when the conversation wandered to his sexual escapades and further endeavors. It hurt a little the way he seemed to forget the fact that she was a girl when speaking of women in such a demeaning manner. All in all, it hurt the most that he said it all so glibly, appearing oblivious to her own attachment to him.   
  
Wow. She can do some things with her tongue that seem impossible. She ranks in the category of girls who can give he. . .  
  
I'm going to take a shower, she cut him off before he went into further detail of the tongue of a thousand tricks.   
  
he mumbled, moving into the kitchen to scrounge around for some breakfast. He stuck his head into the cupboards in search for some cereal.   
  
She studied him, shirtless and ready for the taking. Now was a perfect opportunity. She brushed out any tangles in her hair with her fingers and put on her best predatory smile. With quick, swift steps she walked up from behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around holding a box of Wheaties in his hand.   
  
Can you do me a favor?  
  
he obligingly answered without a second thought to what this favor might be.   
  
Can you help me unbuckle this? I can't reach all of the clasps in the back. Making sure to stand a little too close to him, so that she would brush up against his chest with her own, she turned around displaying the long line of clasps running down her back from the corset.   
  
Uh huh. He closed his eyes, trying to refocus his mind on naked Akira before he touched her. She was really pushing him to his limits.   
  
Slowly, he dragged his finger from her shoulder to her neck, tracing the columns of her spine down to the constricting device. One by one the clasps popped open teasingly, revealing more and more of the milky skin of her back to him. It was agonizing and a crime, in a way, to have to put any man through this tortuous task. When he finally reached the last one, the mix of black silk, wire, and ribbon fell to the ground with a soft swoosh. To spare her some modesty, Soujiro looked up at the ceiling, trying to focus on the brown spot that had probably come from a leak in the roof.  
  
I should look into fixing that leak up there. The ceiling could use a nice new coat of paint.   
  
Yuuki's grin only grew wider by the way his fingers seemed to tremble as he reached the last few clasps.   
  
He thinks that by not looking he'll be safe. Who needs to look when you can touch?  
  
She spun around to face him yet again and leaned in closer to him, closing the gap between them. Her stomach bumped against his hip sending him backwards, pressed up against the counter. Her bare breast pressed against his chest allowing her silken skin to rub against him. She extended one arm upwards towards the shelf above him. His eyes closed at that movement making her grin all the more at seeing the breaking of his defenses. she mumbled against his ear, where her lips barely breathed against it as she stood on tiptoe, reaching upwards. Can you do one more thing for me?  
  
His voice rose a few octaves higher than normal at their close proximity.   
  
Can you make me some Frosted Flakes? She shook the box, creating a light rattle of cereal being tossed about the box. Stepping aside, she pushed it into his hands and skipped away.   
  
Soujiro let out the breath he had been holding so long. He cursed himself for letting himself feel the way he did, and for looking like an even bigger idiot for expecting her to want more than cereal. His grip on the box of cereal tightened, denting the cardboard. His eyes opened a little too early, sending a shock to his system upon seeing Yuuki's bare back walking away from him. From the angle he stood, he could catch the brief glimpse of her two orbs sway a bit with each slight movement of her body.   
  
He only moved to start on breakfast when the door closed behind her and the sound of water splashing echoed out from the bathroom. Taking a deep breath, he once again pictured naked Akira.  
  
It's not working much anymore. Either I've become desensitized to naked Akira or I might be gay.   
  
--------------------------------   
  
Shizuka turned the key into the lock, letting herself back into the apartment. Seeing that no one was home at the moment, she flung her bag onto the floor and closed the door behind her. Toys were strewn everywhere. Only for Kaya would Rui allow his clutterless, pristine domicile be upturned into utter chaos.   
  
He has a heart attack every time I accidentally spill something on his hardwood floors.   
  
She turned to get a bottle of water from the fridge, but something sticky caught on her bare feet.  
  
What the fuck?! She picked up her foot and peeled off what appeared to be the remains of a smashed egg. The blinds of the windows were drawn, shadowing the loft in barely visible darkness. Her hands searched the wall for a light switch, and when it did the trick, lighting slowly flickered on.   
  
She wished she hadn't come home. Maybe it wasn't too late to go back to the hotel she had stayed at the night before. Grabbing a paper towel and wiping the gunk off her foot, she spun around and went for her previously disposed shoes. As she grabbed her keys from the counter, she headed back towards the front door. A note was taped onto it.  
  
_Meeting at Tsukushi's at noon by the pool. Everyone's gonna be there. Come if you can.  
  
-Rui  
  
P.S. Don't worry. I'll clean up the mess later since I know you won't. : P  
  
_The note was snatched off the door and tucked away into her pocket. Turning off the lights, she walked out and locked up behind her. It was already 11 according to her watch, so she hurried into the elevator.   
  
In the long ride down, she wondered to herself how long it would be until those toys on the floor would be a permanent setting for their loft. She could hardly wait until they were married, and settled into their new life. She wouldn't have to go away spending the nights at a hotel whenever Kaya visited. Maybe the little girl would be more accepting of the situation once she found herself with a new baby brother or sister. Her hand reached down to pat her own flat belly.   
  
Susumu wanted children. He always said that if possible we would have a dozen. It was a silly dream, I guess. But he would have made a wonderful father.   
  
She twisted the band around her finger, reminding herself of who she was with now. Even after all this time, Susumu would find little ways to creep into her thoughts. It would be little things like when she would be on stage singing her heart out and there would be that one guy in the corner with his arms folded, smiling like he owned the world, much like her dead fiancée.   
  
I would have liked to know what it felt like to be a mother.  
  
She violently shook her head to quell those thoughts. Her priorities were always clashing. On one hand, she wanted nothing more than to give Rui the family he so desperately wanted. In a way, she wanted the same thing. At the same time, she was still young in the public eye. Although she was in her mid twenties and fast approaching thirty, she held onto the faint hope that she could make it big. All those years of modeling when she was a teen were enough motivation to show her she could make it out there. She would do anything and everything to get what she most wanted, to be loved and adored by fans.  
  
Her worst mistake had probably been to pass up those chances back then. She had stayed by his side, hoping that all the promises he made to her of wealth and leisure would come true. She would be a rich man's wife, singing to her heart's content at one of his upscale clubs downtown. Last Resort was meant to be only a starting point to a series of chains. Everything. She could have had everything, taking care of the kids during the day, singing at night, and back home with enough time to tuck them in. Time flew by and nothing changed. They were still where they were from day one. She had the ring, but no real proof to his word.   
  
Rui was a different story. He made no false promises. All he could offer was his utter devotion to her and her dream. He pushed her to see that if she wanted it enough, she would have to find it herself without Susumu.   
  
It was her worst fear that in her pursuit, Rui wouldn't wait around forever. The last thing she needed was to reach that point where she had to choose. Who would be most important?  
  
She knew the answer.  
  
Rui.  
  
Then there was the little problem of Tsukushi.   
  
What a mess they had gotten themselves into. Sometimes she wondered if she had some discriminatory views on people her own age. Susumu was a few years her elder by not much and Rui was a few years her junior. Not only did she have to take away her older brother, but the boyfriend to boot. Throw in a kid in the mix, and we have a merry angst, betrayal, and sinfully delicious cocktail. She was turning into a regular Mrs. Robinson.   
  
I never really understood what it was I exactly needed. In the beginning, it was about me needing him. Later, I fell for someone else because he needed me. I was playing with fire, and got burned in the end. I lost Tsukushi, Susumu, and a bit of myself.   
  
Sometimes I miss the old me.  
  
--------------------------------------   
  
Traipsing around the living room in a skimpy silk robe that barely covered her posterior, she lightly padded about, tossing a magazine that had been carelessly left on the couch onto the coffee table. In her own act of clumsiness, the magazine fell to the ground, forcing her to bend over to pick up the aforementioned periodical. A brief smirk crossed her lips as she turned her back to him and bent down, allowing her attire to ride up, revealing the obvious black thong that glared at him. She held in the surge of laughter welling up inside at the sound of his breath sucking in.   
  
No, he couldn't think that way. It was Yuuki. However, his train of thought was suddenly sidetracked. He sucked in a deep breath. The things the sight of her body was doing to his mind and body had to be a crime.  
  
Skin.  
  
Thong.  
  
Damn!  
  
What time is it? Should we be leaving for Tsukushi's soon?  
  
he incoherently drawled out. Soujiro mentally slapped himself when she turned around to see him with a mouth wide open, still trying to process the image of her derriere in his mind.   
  
she innocently smiled. her hand moved in signs, trying to convey the message her words did not seemed to be making. The placid look on her face revealed not one hint to the satisfaction of her small victory.   
  
he grumbled. Maybe you should get changed. I wanted to get in a few laps before we got down to business.  
  
Her leg swung around in an about face, but at the same time it knocked the magazine she had earlier placed there onto the ground once again. She bent down still facing him, allowing the robe to slip off one of her shoulders and giving him a brief glimpse of smooth white skin. Slowly, the silken material creased further and further down   
  
She wasn't wearing a bra.   
  
Fuck.   
  
I'm so out of it today. I keep knocking things over, she sighed in exasperation. Give me two minutes and I'll be ready to go. Acting as if her actions were completely harmless, she spun around and skipped into her bedroom.   
  
Yuki-2. Soujiro-0.  
  
A devilish plan formulated in her once innocent and naïve mind. If he thought I was getting hot in there, things were just about to heat up another notch. Leaving the door completely ajar, she walked around the corner of the doorway and tossed the robe onto the bed with a soft thump.   
  
Soujiro's gaze, which had become affixed to his shoes, slowly rose up against his better judgment. He could feel that lump rising in his throat. Yuuki was really playing it hard. Although his face remained impassive and oblivious, he almost groaned at the thought of her realizing just how hard it was at the moment. His lecherous thoughts fought to override his sense of decency, egging him on to throw her onto that bed, trapping her under his will.   
  
God, I wonder what it would feel like to have those legs wrapped around me. They're probably tight like a vice. I'll have that bitch screaming until she's breathless falling into her own ecstasy while I pound mercilessly into her. Good girls are always the most fun. They know more than they show.   
  
What do you think? she asked as she jumped out of the doorway posing in a yellow floral bikini. Two strings hung at the sides of her hips dangling off the low-rise bikini bottom. The top was a simple triangular cut bra with a small hook in the back.  
  
His fingers twitched, wanting to pull the strings, letting that small scrap of fabric called a bikini bottom fall on the ground. They would then move to attack her top, gently sliding up her back along her spine, making her skin tremble in delight, only to unclasp the barrier encasing her breasts. She would be naked. She would be his.   
  
Mine.   
  
Hello?! Are you in there? Yuuki asked in a fake exasperated tone. So what do you think?  
  
It's different, he lowly muttered before turning around and walking out the door. I'll wait for you in the car.  
  
She quickly turned on her heel and marched back into the bedroom, tossing a t-shirt over her head and slipping on a pair of shorts.   
  
God, he's a tough one to break.   
  
------------------   
  
Mama! Watch this! Kaya screeched as she hurled herself into the pool, splashing water all over the women laying under the umbrella by the side of the pool.   
  
Tsukushi only nodded her head, half listening to whatever it was that Yuuki was saying while watching Kaya slosh in the pool. I'm watching!  
  
It was one of those rare moments where the group probably resembled something out of a magazine ad for beer or cigarettes. There was the centered group of young, nubile women clad in skimpy bikinis lounging by the side of the pool. Then there were the three rather handsome, virile men splashing about in the pool, racing laps. The fourth man sat on the side refereeing the race, with his legs dangling into the water. Music was blaring in the background, the faint scent of sunscreen and chlorine wafted in the air, and a melting cooler filled to the brim with beer, water, and any other kind of liquid to be found in the apartment. Yeah, it was a Kodak moment. All they were missing was that Surgeon General's warning on the bottom of the picture. Then again, there were some things amiss. For instance there was that little girl wearing a yellow polka dot bikini running in and out of the pool doing cannonballs. Plus, an elderly woman sat in a lawn chair to the side, fanning herself with a straw fan with one hand and holding a glass of lemonade in the other. Those definitely were a distortion to the perfect picture of youth and frivolity.   
  
I can't believe him, Yuuki hissed in a low voice while rubbing the goopy white lotion onto her arms. God, he doesn't even seem to notice anything different with me. He must be fucking blind or something. Either that or I am really that freakishly unattractive.  
  
We could go back to the gay theory, Sakurako giggled, pulling down her sunglasses to peek over its rims. Even after the ordeal she went through yesterday, she was still a trooper. Her body lay stretched out on the length of the lawn chair, basking under the sun, trying to catch that elusive perfect tan. In haughty confidence, she flipped back her auburn locks, laughing at her friend's plight.   
  
He doesn't seem gay to me, Tsukushi added. Although the fact that he seems to lose all feeling in his dick when he's around you could prove otherwise. Face it, Yuuki. You might be turning him to the other side.  
  
Thanks a lot. She grabbed a towel and snapped it against Tsukushi's leg like a cracking whip.   
  
she squealed as she threw some ice from the cooler at her.   
  
Ladies! If you are going to have a little cat fight like that, at least have the decency to move a little closer to the pool so we can all watch.  
  
Fistfuls of ice went flying through the air at the mischievous blonde who was in the process of taking off his shirt.  
  
When did you three get here?   
  
About ten minutes ago. The other guys are already in the pool. They didn't waste much time to cool off, considering the AC in my car broke again.  
  
She peered over Thomas' shoulder, giving a quick wave to Junpei, Tsuyoshi, and Kin wading in the water. Did you do what I asked you to do?  
  
Yep. He should have seen the six foot blow up by now super glued to the hood of his car or what's left of it. He turned towards Sakurako, who seemed to have drifted off into her own thoughts. How are you doing? He blurted out the words like it was his first time talking to a woman.   
  
she curtly replied, averting her gaze back towards the pool. She kept her line of vision away from him, but spared the tiniest of smiles. Thanks for what you did.  
  
It was nothing.  
  
Yuuki watched the exchange between Sakurako and Thomas in fascination. It just wasn't fair sometimes. Thomas was a perfectly good man, and Sakurako had to pass him off as just another one of her admirers. What she would have given to have Soujiro show that much interest in her. Her doubts plagued her, making her wonder more if there was something seriously wrong with her.  
  
Thomas turned, feeling someone's eyes on the back of his head. A faint pink tinged his cheeks upon seeing Yuuki in her swimwear. He offered a weak wave before walking away to dive into the pool.   
  
Tsukushi smiled to herself as if she were the puppet master stringing these players along. It slightly perturbed her of Thomas' growing attachment to Yuuki. That was somewhat unexpected. It wouldn't hurt either way if things didn't pan out. It was a win-win situation considering the volatile players involved.   
  
Why don't we start the meeting?  
  
---------------------------------------------   
  
They all gathered around the large plastic table, fighting over the food laid out for lunch. As always, Sakurako had gotten her way, filling up her plate to maximum capacity. Nothing in this world could curb her appetite.   
  
Okay, first things first. As we can all see, Sakurako had a little run-in yesterday, and it will not require any further investigation. Thomas, Yuuki, and I have taken care of it. I hope you are listening to me, Jiro. She shot a knowing look in his direction, two steps ahead of whatever it was he was thinking in terms of reparations for Sakurako.  
  
Oh yeah, that reminds me. Thomas pulled out a large rolled up piece of paper, revealing a blow up of the three of them posing in front of the vandalized car. He and Yuuki had already taken it upon themselves to sign the enlarged evidence of their random act of violence. He wiped away a fake tear. We got you a little something considering it was you and Yuuki's first time. Susumu would be proud to see his baby sister partaking in her first act of ruthless vandalism.  
  
Loud applause followed the small congratulatory ceremony. At the same time, Rui clapped his hands over Kaya's innocent eyes before she could get a glimpse of the gift.   
  
Maybe you and Tama should go eat inside, baby. She never really liked being out in the sun too long. Mama needs to work right now, Tsukushi cautioned her daughter. She lightly slapped her behind, sending Kaya into a giggling run towards her babysitter. Thanks for the gift, but back to business. Since this unfortunate incident occurred, that leaves us with one less performer. You're off for the rest of the week to heal up, Sakurako.  
  
I don't want it, she adamantly protested. If I can't sing, I'll tend bar. I don't need any special treatment.  
  
Tsukushi nodded her head, knowing there would be no room for argument on it once Sakurako had said whatever was on her mind. Fine. Then I guess we'll have to settle for two nights of house music. Yuuki and Shizuka will have the two other nights to perform. Any preferences?  
  
I want Friday night, a voice from behind requested.   
  
Speak of the devil. You've got Friday then. Yuuki will take Saturday. Tomorrow and Sunday will be house music. She peered down at her clipboard, checking off another task completed, ignoring the new presence.   
  
He lifted his head from the little huddle he was immersed in at the moment. He stifled his snickers from what probably was a dirty joke he was telling Junpei. What did I do now?  
  
Did you make an appointment to have an electrician come over? I don't like the idea of those power surges we've been having lately.  
  
Taken care of. He said he would be by Monday.  
  
Junpei, I need you to hire some extra security. With the weather this way, people tend to get a little more wild than usual. The last thing I need is a huge clean up bill to pay for some drunken idiots tearing up the place.  
  
It'll take me a few days to get some guys together. I'll check around. Usual one and a half pay for the extra shifts, right?  
  
Yeah. I think that about covers it all for today. We have a shipment coming in at four tomorrow afternoon, and I expect everyone there to help out in clean up since we left the place in a pretty shabby condition on Sunday. Anything else?  
  
Oh yeah! Some of my contacts have been asking about any private parties we may do. They're willing to pay triple if we host some parties. Thomas grinned from ear to ear at the prospect of such a huge windfall. I could always use the extra cash for some new sound equipment.   
  
I don't know. We only did those parties last year to make up for our losses. I didn't exactly love being at the edge of my seat the entire time overseeing things. Tell them I'll think about it. We'll discuss this later, Akira.  
  
You got it.  
  
Well, then I guess, that's everything. Meeting's adjourned.  
  
Akira sighed. How about a game of volleyball? Who's in?  
  
Six hands shot up in the air followed by war cries foretelling utter annihilation of the opposing team. Sakurako and Yuuki shared a look that said boys will be boys' choosing to resume their sunbathing. Shizuka merely picked up her purse, kissed Rui a quick goodbye, and disappeared through the exit, making some excuse about an audition. Tsukushi tossed the last of her sandwich into the trash in a perfect shot.  
  
Nice shot.  
  
Nothing but net, she laughed back at Tsukasa who was busy finishing off the last of his can of soda. Care to join me by the pool?  
  
Why not? he shrugged.  
  
She cleared away the last of the debris on the table, and grabbed a bottle of water, setting herself by the edge of the pool. Her legs dangled in the water, tracing an erratic pattern sending ripples in the calm water. So today marks our last day together. Brown eyes stared down at the crystal blue water.   
Tsukasa plopped himself down beside her, enjoying the cool rush of water to his legs. It was an enlightening experience,' he chuckled, nudging her shoulder.   
  
Her cheeks tinged pink, thinking back to the little revelation of her extremely violent and vindictive behavior. Yes, it was. You know, you're a pretty cool guy yourself. Give it a few more weeks and you'll be one of us. I don't know whether that's a good or bad thing, though.  
  
It depends.  
  
I can see what you mean. She covered her mouth, trying to hide the snort that fought to explode upon seeing Thomas pull Soujiro's pants down over a foul. I never did get to take you out for that dinner. How about we go tonight? I know the perfect place to seal the deal of our new friendship. She winked. It's a very posh place, so wear something nice like that Armani suit, okay?  
  
  
  
Good, then it's a date.  
  
Yeah, a date.  
  
------------------------------   
  
See you tomorrow!  
  
Bye, guys! Tsukushi waved at the departing mass. It was fast approaching late afternoon, and after a long day in the sun, a few minor sunburns, and mass consumptions of alcohol, everyone was ready to call it a day. She glanced up as she folded up the lawn chairs, looking at the isolated couples. Sakurako and Tsukasa wandered off to the edge of the roof. She tilted her head backwards, laughing at something she found particularly funny. Akira and Soujiro lay almost lifeless on their backs, floating in the water. Thomas and Yuuki busied themselves packing up the leftovers into the cooler.   
  
Those two might have a shot after all.  
  
Can you help me with this?  
  
Thomas halfheartedly replied with his eyes still lingering on Sakurako.   
  
Yuuki sighed to herself yet again, feeling that pang of jealousy in her heart towards Sakurako. She was blind to what was right in front of her. You really like her a lot, don't you?  
  
I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
She's an idiot. What I wouldn't do to have Jiro look at me the way you look at her.  
  
His eyes raised to meet hers, seeing that reflection of confusion and frustration he knew all too well every time Sakurako passed up his advances as merely a joke. Inside he fumed at the attention Tsukasa was receiving from Sakurako. She showed more interest towards a stranger than someone who was a long time friend. He knew it would be a risky game to play, a game of seduction, joining forces for a so-called greater good. In matters of the heart, anything and everything could be done to win your heart's desire. Would you do anything?' he asked. His bangs fell over his eyes, blocking out any view of his downturned face.  
  
Almost anything. I don't think I would go as far as to kill someone, she lightly joked. I've tried this new look. She waved her hands over her body, displaying her current change in taste of dress and appearance. All I got from him was a simple pat on the head followed by, You look nice.' I'm sick of him treating me like I'm a kid sister or something. For once, I want him to see me as a woman.  
  
What if I could help you?  
  
I think I need a miracle, and I don't believe that you are God to grant me that, she snorted.   
  
He slammed his fists down on the table. Lowering his voice, he whispered, We can make miracles happen. I didn't really know how to bring this up, but what if we formed an alliance?  
  
An alliance? I think I should sit down before we get to this little proposition you have for me. She pulled out one of the chairs around the table and steadied herself for what she was about to hear.  
  
Thomas took this as his cue to take the seat opposite her and prepare for his sales pitch of the idea. We're both in the same boat here. You want Soujiro. I want Sakurako. Both of them are in complete denial to ever reciprocate what we want from them. However, if I know Soujiro, he's a little too overprotective when it comes to the guys you date.  
  
she nodded in agreement. Sakurako has never taken a liking to any of your girlfriends either.   
  
Uh huh. We've seen that tiny glimmer of jealousy in them. What if we were to take that same scenario and multiply it tenfold? We've dated strangers, people that they knew would come and go. Those people were never real threats. They've scared them off with that little inner circle snub, but what if they couldn't do that?  
  
You lost me a little there. We've always done that, pushing outsiders away when they get a little too close. I mean, I've dated a few guys, but none that serious. What are you saying?  
  
I'm saying we should hook up. I mean, after last night's performance we've proven how good a team we can make. Hell, for a minute last night I thought you were my angry girlfriend screaming at me. Also, we have the insider info on the person we want. You can show Sakurako what she's missing, and I can show Soujiro what he's missing. We both win. Plus, we're friends and we both know where we stand with each other. This has to work.  
  
I don't know, she mumbled under her breath. Yuuki shook her head at the absurdity of the idea. It was rather juvenile to begin with, and transparent if suddenly they got together rubbing the relationship in their faces. It sounds a bit desperate.  
  
Aren't you as desperate as I am?  
  
I don't know. She turned her head to the side, watching Soujiro pull his t-shirt over his head after toweling off from the pool. Rivulets of chlorinated water dripped from his ebony locks glistening in the sun.   
  
How about we test this out? If this doesn't raise some eyebrows then, we can just say it was a failed plan. How about we have a little practice date tomorrow after work? We can go out to this all night diner I know and catch some breakfast, and discuss how this would work. He reached over and placed his larger hand over hers. Hey, if you're not comfortable with this after tomorrow then at least you can have me treat you to some of the best pancakes in the city. His face lit up in a wide smile, trying to ease the awkwardness of the situation.  
  
  
  
-------------------------------------   
  
I just wanted to thank you again for yesterday and all, Sakurako muttered, staring out into the skyline. I don't know what I would have done if you didn't pick me up.  
  
It was no big deal. Tsukasa weakly smiled. His mind was still left uneasy at the atrocity that had occurred. Just when he thought that there was hope for the world after helping someone, another person in the world had to suffer to counteract the good done. Perhaps it was just the universe's way of balancing out good and evil. Maybe next time, you should take a cab home after your dates.  
  
she chuckled. I think the lesson to be learned from this is that I'm just not the kind of girl guys want to date. I'm the girl they want to fuck, but dating is a whole other story.   
  
Don't say that. I'm sure there are plenty of guys who like you for other reasons.  
  
She laughed at his naïveté. You wanna hear something funny? I've never had a real boyfriend before. I think yesterday was my first real date that I knew wouldn't end up in meaningless sex. It was a real date for once. Her hand shot up towards her face, adjusting her sunglasses. I'm not cut out for normal. Sometimes I wish I could have what most girls have had.  
  
What's that?  
  
A first kiss that actually meant something. That feeling of butterflies in your stomach, waiting for your date to show up at the door with flowers in hand to take you out for a nice evening ending with a chaste kiss on the cheek on your doorstep. Being able to celebrate an anniversary of being together. I want that. I really do. It's just not fair how I have to try so much harder than other girls to get that. It's my own fault, though. I used them as much as they used me for a good fuck. When the fun times end, people aren't as willing to accept it.  
  
Tsukasa questioned the concept of romantic relationships based on his past experiences with women. Her ideas sound so farfetched. It made him feel like something was missing, that innocence that encompassed blind love.   
  
I don't know. I don't think that kind of stuff ever happens anymore. I've never experienced anything close to what you just described. We do have one thing in common. I've never had a real girlfriend. I don't think those titles of boyfriend or girlfriend really exist. It's more like two people who decide they want to spend their time together and not with others. They just stay together because they do, not because it's the way things are supposed to be.  
  
I like that concept.  
  
You can't force something to happen that is not your style. You have to work with what you've got.  
  
Yeah, I've got a shit load to work with here.  
  
We all do.  
  
She tilted her head to the side, watching how he'd react, wanting to gauge his reaction to the next question she wanted to ask. Tell me something.  
  
He took another sip of the beer in his hand, ignorant to the gleam in her eyes.   
  
Is there something going on between you and Tsukushi?  
  
His hand shot up to his chest, pounding the liquid that went down the wrong way, to clear his throat. His hacking ceased a few seconds after he downed the rest of his drink. No. She's pretty cool and all, but I could never see us being more than friends. Why would you want to ask that?  
  
Just checking, she smiled to herself.  
  
-------------------------------   
  
The car ride was spent in peaceful silence, the kind that only those specially tuned to their partners ever really reached. It was a blanket of security that coated them, knowing how sometimes words weren't required to feel comfortable around each other.   
  
You want to hear something funny?' Soujiro asked, turning his head towards his silent passenger.   
  
  
  
I was just thinking about how I found you last night dressed like that after Thomas dropped you off. I would have never guessed Tsukushi would put you two up to a scam like the one you guys pulled off. He continued lightheartedly laughing at the preposterous idea he waved off as his overprotective nature taking over.   
  
I do crazy stuff like that all the time, she fought back, feeling rather insulted at his insinuation of her safe' lifestyle. Thomas thought I did really well.  
  
I bet you did.  
  
Yuuki cocked her head to the side studying his profile.   
  
Maybe I should really consider what Thomas was talking about. It could never hurt to try.   
  
Actually, I think I might be seeing more of Thomas outside of work. I kinda liked hanging out with him.  
  
he impassively asked. His eyes remained fixed on the road in front of him. He's a good guy. I can see you two being pretty good friends.   
  
Well, it might be a little more than friends. I think we might pursue something more than that.  
  
His grip tightened on the steering wheel.   
  
Where are you going? Yuuki innocently asked. She hid the smirk on her face, seeing his slight reaction to the new information. You missed the turn.  
  
This was going to be better than I thought.   
  
-----------------------------   
  
How come I can't come, Mama? Kaya's lips formed into a pout, clearly showing her dismay at being left home with Tama. She had looked forward to a night alone with her mother.   
  
Tsukushi paused in her movements while putting on her earrings. She turned around away from the vanity, seeing her daughter laying on her bed with her two hands on either cheek propping up her head. Her legs kicked at the mattress, pounding the soft down comforter.   
  
I made a promise to take Tsukasa out to dinner for helping me move your uncle's things. The restaurant is for grown-ups only. You won't have much fun there.  
  
I want to get dressed up, too, she whined.   
  
A heavy sigh parted from her lips. The mattress shifted underneath her weight, and she began to run her brush through her daughter's currently unruly hair. Her slender, deft fingers wove through the strands of hair, braiding the long locks. Don't give me that puppy dog look of yours. You know it's not fair when you do that.  
  
Does this mean I can go?  
  
No. How about we make a compromise? We should finish dinner by about nine. I want you in that new pink dress I bought for you a few weeks back. I'll come back and we can go for dessert.  
  
Kaya nodded her head.   
  
Good. Now go out and find Tama. She tucked the last stray strand of hair behind her daughter's ear. I'm all done with your hair.   
  
Are you and Tsukasa going on a date?  
  
Tsukushi gasped, flabbergasted. It's not that kind of date.  
  
Oh. I was kind of hoping you were going to go out on a date. Sakurako said something about you getting a boyfriend. She said I might be getting a new dad.  
  
She was going to kill Sakurako later for filling her daughter's head with thoughts about her love life. Don't listen to Sakurako. You and I both know she's crazy. I'm just taking Tsukasa out for dinner as friends.  
  
Kaya lifted her head, her eyes searching for something in her mother's face. Are you going to start dating?  
  
Gathering the small girl up in her arms, she rested her chin on top of her head. Their reflections stared back at them in the mirror across the room. I don't know if I will start dating men. If I do I'll always tell you first. I have to get your seal of approval, don't I?  
  
The girl giggled in her mother's arms.   
  
Her mother nodded her head in agreement.   
  
Then, can I say I like Tsukasa? You should date him.  
  
Her mother's response was a simple pat of the head. Me and that guy? Psh. Like that would happen.  
  
------------------------------   
  
Do you have reservations?  
  
She shifted the wrap that had fallen down on one shoulder, smiling up at the maitre'd. Yes, it should be under the name Makino. Between her pink stained lips, her pearly white smile shone through.   
  
His eyes scanned over the large book in front of him, scanning through what seemed to be a never-ending list of names. I don't see any reservations under that name.  
  
Tsukushi's shoulders visibly tensed under the man's scrutiny. She fought to keep a calm façade in front of the impudent restaurant worker. She stood there taking the smug leer he stole when she first arrived. She even shut her mouth when he openly peered down the front of her dress and chose to speak to her chest rather than her face. Can you please check again? she gritted out between her teeth.   
  
Once more his eyes barely scanned over the list with a clear hint of disinterest in his expression. No. It's not there.  
  
She was really about to lose it. That supposed large amount of patience she contained was dwindling away rapidly with each number counted in her head to calm her nerves. I made the reservation this morning. It should be there.  
  
Oh, Furuhata-san! Just on time. A table opened up a few minutes ago. Please go inside where someone will seat you. The conniving little man in the Prada suit groveled under the feet of the newly appeared businessman, who in turn ignored his pathetic existence. As they passed each other, the obvious sight of bills could be seen slipped into his hand.   
  
Unbelievable! I make advanced arrangements and you let this guy walk in to take the first available table!  
  
Madam, will you please calm yourself. I've already informed you that you do not have an appointment in our records. Would you please extricate yourself from me before I have to call upon security to escort you off the premises.  
  
I'm going to. . .  
  
Is something the matter? a smooth husky voice asked. An arm wrapped around the irate woman's waist, pulling her back from strangling the rude maitre'd. Tsukasa ducked his head down, murmuring to himself about women and not understanding the ways of the world. She just had to pick this restaurant out of all the fine eateries in the entire city. Shaking his head, he tightened his grip around Tsukushi's waist, making sure she would not jump like a raging wild animal to attack.   
  
Suddenly, the seemingly cool and composed maitre'd froze as if he had been touched by the grace of god, or to better put it, in front of the face of the devil himself. I may be mistaken. I didn't know Do. . .  
  
I think if you look again you will find our reservation, he spat out, stopping the stuttering fool from speaking more. He walked forward and peered over the podium, placing his finger over some random name. Look, we're right there at the bottom. Makino, table for two.  
  
Uh, yes sir. I'll personally show you to your table. I'm so sorry for the inconvenience. This way. He moved aside and waved his hand outwards, gesturing them into the restaurant.   
  
See, no problem at all. Tsukasa winked and hooked his arm with Tsukushi's. Shall we go?   
  
The scowl on her face lessened as she passed him a withering glare. She was still rather disturbed by the exchange earlier. So far, their little date had been going fairly well. When they bumped into each other upon leaving their rooms to leave, she was thrown back a bit by how debonair he could actually come across. He oozed all that said man, and she had to bite her own lip, trying to hold back the breath that her body wanted to lose, which it did as soon as he turned to walk away. There was just that certain aura of masculinity and sophistication in the way he carried himself in the suit.   
  
Whoever said, the clothes make the man was damn right.   
  
It wasn't only she who was shocked by their date's transformation. Although Tsukasa had admired her visually pleasing choice in attire, what she came out wearing really threw him off balance. Decked out in a lavender dress that dipped low into the valley of her breasts, it must have taken some great force against physics to avoid the two flaps of fabric from blowing open. The dress was simple with the halter top style and a bottom that flared out just about mid calf. It reflected a romantic '40's style with a splash of modern design to it. Her hair had been pulled back behind her ears and clipped back, letting waves of curls run down her back. Everything was perfectly complimented from the light shimmer of makeup on her face to the simple silver diamond pendant around her neck and silver stiletto heels on her feet. All in all, they made one very nice-looking couple.   
  
she acquiesced. A small smile played on her lips as she allowed herself to be led into the dining area past the bar. Heads turned and eyes followed them. Her smile widened, wondering if the looks were really for her or her date. Either way, it didn't matter much. Nothing could spoil their evening.   
  
A soft piano tune floated in the air, enclosing her in its smooth melody. She stopped to close her eyes for a second to just enjoy the music for all its worth. The music was part of why she loved coming to this restaurant so much. The service was terrible, the food absurdly overpriced, but the décor was enough to keep her coming back. A soft nudge to her arm awakened her from her reverie, and Tsukasa tugged her towards the table, pulling out the chair for her.   
  
Perfect. Tonight would be perfect.   
  
Excuse me for one moment, Tsukasa whispered into her ear as he walked off.   
  
He prayed to all the gods that the foolish man hadn't spread the word of his presence yet. It was the last thing he needed, to have someone walk up to him that night asking to discuss shoptalk. It didn't really matter much if they talked to him anyway. He had nothing to do with the company anymore. he hissed at the maitre'd who was currently pissing off a new set of customers at the entrance, waiting for them to get the hint he needed persuasion of the monetary kind to allow them entrance with the last minute booking. It was a well known fact that this particular establishment had a history of letting money talk when it came to reservations that weren't made a few weeks in advance.   
  
His arms snapped to his sides, as he slowly spun around, recognizing that familiar bark.   
  
Don't call me that! A flare of red passed over his eyes. Look here, little man. For tonight, you will tell everyone here to not address me by that name. I am just a regular customer tonight. If any one of you so much as breathe my name, I'll make sure you know what hell is, and I don't think you'll like it that much. You are also going to make sure to prevent persons from interrupting either me or that young lady over there dining tonight. Privacy is a very important issue tonight. Do you understand? His voice dripped with an icy commanding tone that would have made his own mother proud. It was the voice and attitude that set a Doumyouji apart from the rest of the world.   
  
Yes, I understand, he stuttered.  
  
Good. Now I want you to personally send a bottle of wine, preferably a 1964 vintage to our table as an apology for visually raping my date earlier.  
  
He mutely nodded his head.   
  
With a very hard pat on the back, sending the man into a coughing fit, Tsukasa smiled. His lips curled in that way that only showed pure unadulterated pain if this man screwed up. His hand reached into his pocket, discreetly pulling out a neatly folded set of bills which were then slipped into the breast pocket of the maitre'd. Don't you dare fuck this up.  
  
-----------------------------   
  
Tsukushi?'  
  
Tsukushi lifted her head up to look at the person standing in front of her table. Her eyes danced at the sight of a familiar face. It's good to see you, she grinned.   
  
The elderly man walked up to her table, taking the open seat beside her. I hope they didn't give you much trouble with the last minute reservation I got you.  
  
No, there was no problem, she lied, not wanting to hurt the old pianist's feelings at his lack of power in the restaurant he worked in. Are you working all night tonight?  
  
Oh yes! he cheerily replied. I wouldn't pass up the chance to play for a full house.  
  
Well, you're the one everyone comes to see anyway.  
  
You're too kind for this old man. Will I have the honor of perhaps having a little song from you later? I do miss that voice of yours.  
  
Oh no. I came to just watch and enjoy. I'm not on duty tonight. She reached over the table and squeezed his aged hands, which even after years of age showed no signs of trembling. It was the true sign of a real pianist, one who defied time and maintained their steady hands. Thanks for the offer, though.  
  
Well, I better get back to work. I see they are giving me the evil eye. I just wanted to stop by and say hello.  
  
It was good to see you, Yamada-san.  
  
You too. Please send Tama my best regards. He devilishly winked at her before exiting the table.   
  
Who was that? Tsukasa asked, taking the now empty seat that had opened up.  
  
That's Yamada-san, she replied. We're old friends. After I had Kaya, I came to work here, singing a few nights a week for some extra cash. The hours weren't terribly long, and I was able to get home in time to take care of my daughter. Yamada-san was the pianist that accompanied me.  
  
he asked, trying to think back of a time he might have seen her sing in the establishment. He shook his head, realizing that generally he preferred to dine in one of the private rooms since his visits were generally purely for business. He nervously picked up his menu and quirked a smile. I'm starving. How about we order?  
  
Just spare my wallet tonight, she laughed as she watched his eyes giddily scan over the menu.   
  
I make no promises.  
  
-----------------------------------   
  
An hour and a half later, they contently sat back in their chairs, sipping the remaining remnants of wine in their glasses. In comparison to earlier conversations, they both agreed to keep the choice of topics light, consisting of subjects ranging from the weather to retelling of little funny anecdotes from their lives.   
  
This was nice, Tsukushi interjected in the middle of Tsukasa's chuckling. It's been a long time since I've had an actual adult night out without any sexual innuendo, discussions over the quality of Barney's music, or explicit language. She laughed in good humor of her friends and her daughter. I love them all, but sometimes it's good to talk to someone new.  
  
Well, it was inevitable considering the amount of time you spend with them in and out of work.  
  
Her fingers played with the small floral arrangement in the center of the table. A single candle burned in the center. Beside her was the stand for the chilled bottle of wine that she had thoroughly enjoyed. Casablancas," she whispered to herself.   
  
  
  
Oh, sorry, she apologized, blushing at being caught daydreaming. These are casablancas. A small smile crept on her lips. They're my favorite flower. They symbolize purity. She tilted her head to the side, recognizing the familiar lilt of the piano notes carrying across the room. Immediately her eyes fell on the man playing the song.  
  
He remembered my song.   
  
Tsukasa watched the brief glimpse of glee spread over her face with the change of tune on the piano. He pushed back his chair and stood beside her. Do you care to dance?  
  
I'd love that, she grinned. She followed him onto the dance floor, falling into step with the simple steps she recognized as the waltz. You know how to ballroom dance? she asked with a hint of mischief in her eyes.   
  
My mom made me learn, he gruffly replied, trying to retain some sliver of manliness he could salvage.   
  
It's okay. I find a man who can ballroom dance quite sexy.  
  
He raised an inquisitive eyebrow. How about a man who knows tap?  
  
Oh god! I can't take it. She giggled, fanning herself with her hand. A man who tap dances just turns me on in every possible way, she huskily whispered into his ear before playfully slapping him in the chest. Look what you made me do! We were so close.  
  
What's the fun of life if there aren't any sexual jokes flying around?  
  
Oh man, you need to spend less time with Soujiro and Akira.  
  
--------------------------   
  
Mama! Can I get more than one scoop? Kaya excitedly pleaded, hopping from one Mary Janed foot to the other.   
  
Tsukushi crouched down in front of the counter, placing a steadying hand on her shoulder.   
  
she squealed in utter delight. She jumped up, trying to catch a glimpse of her choices.  
  
They made a rather grand entrance, entering the small ice cream shop decked out in their formal best. After leaving the restaurant, Tsukushi and Tsukasa rushed back to the apartment to pick up Kaya to take her out for dessert. She was ready for quite some time when they found her wearing her brand new dress, impatiently waiting by the door to be let out. Automatically she grabbed their hands, dragging them to the ice cream shop a few blocks down from their apartment building.   
  
Her mother reached down to pick up her flailing daughter to allow her a better view of the ice cream in the case, but was interrupted by another pair of arms reaching the little girl before her.   
  
If you keep jumping like that, you might hurt yourself, Tsukasa laughed. His arms wrapped underneath hers as he lifted her up into the air to peer over the glass case. Hurry and choose before my arms give out, he teased, pretending to lose his grip.  
  
I want that one, that one, and the chocolate!  
  
The middle-aged woman behind the counter gently smiled and set to work creating the sundae concoction. Tsukushi and Tsukasa each took their own orders, leading Kaya over to a table to sit and wait for her own. Being fickle about toppings and ice cream flavors, it took her the longest to decide. A few more eyebrows raised when Kaya's dessert was brought out with the toppings dripping off the mountain of whipped cream.   
  
Tsukushi grabbed for as many napkins as possible, thoroughly covering the front of Kaya's body in a mummy-like wrapping to prevent anything from getting on the new dress. Now you can have some.  
  
Kaya obligingly agreed to the command and jabbed her spoon deep into the center before shoveling the huge glop into her mouth.   
  
How sweet, the storeowner cooed, watching Kaya eat.   
  
Tsukushi rummaged for her purse to pull out some money. How much will it be?  
  
Oh forget about it. It's on the house. It's rare we get customers so dressed up out here. She turned towards Tsukasa and Tsukushi. It always makes me smile to see such a nice young couple like yourselves taking their daughter out for ice cream.  
  
Oh but we're. . . Tsukasa butt in.  
  
Thank you, Tsukushi smiled, jabbing Tsukasa in the ribs. My husband and I just had to bring our daughter for a little treat. We promised to take her out when we returned from our adult night out. She absolutely insisted on dressing up, too.  
  
Well, enjoy your dessert. I have to get to my other customers. I hope to see you three in here more often. She waved them a quick goodbye and hurried back behind the counter where a small line was forming.   
  
Why did you lie to her? Tsukasa asked in disbelief.  
  
Hey, we got free ice cream.   
  
Ah, I see. You didn't have to jab me in the ribs so hard.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Do you think we can come back here and try to get free ice cream again next week?  
  
A wide smile curled on her lips followed by a light giggle. Whatever you say, dear husband.  
  
The perks of married life. . .  
--------------------------   
A/N: Here's an extra long, fluffy, and downright bantery good time for all to read. I made this one extra long to tide everyone over because dear readers Last Resort will be on hiatus because as of now I'm taking a short break for a few months to get back to Return to Me and perhaps finally finish . For now you can get your semi-fix for LR through   



	14. Close Enough

Disclaimer: Standard poverty claims  
  
Chapter 14: Close enough  
  
WARNING: A long hiatus leads to an extra long chapter. 38 pages of unadulterated drabble. Do not try to read in one sitting. Doing so may lead to serious eye strain... so says the author with the spiffy new pair of glasses hunched over her laptop typing away...  
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Didn't I tell you this place had the best pancakes in the city?" Thomas smirked. Beneath the golden rays of the sun pouring through the window falling on his slightly upturned face, Thomas stood out like a sore thumb in the small diner. He lay slack against the back of the booth with one arm leaning against the ledge of the window. His deep blue eyes reflected a sort of childish glee, watching the activity going on outside.  
  
For a twenty-eight year old, Thomas had retained a perpetual lightheartedness that most people would have lost in the twists and turns of maturity. Most of the time he was mistaken for the typical American frat boy, who just happened to speak perfect fluent Japanese. He dressed in a simple t-shirt and faded jeans with a Boston Red Sox cap on his head. His skin had darkened a bit, tanning under the sun from all those Saturday morning basketball games the guys had. In a way, he never tried to fit in. He retained as much of his American heritage as possible, not feeling the slightest guilt when he showed up to his first Japanese baseball game complaining about the backward rules. Some looked on at him as the strange gaijin, a man lost in translation, but he never cared much for fitting in. That was one of the main reasons he went to Japan.  
  
Yuuki took another big gulp from her glass of orange juice to ward off the immense heat emanating from outside. Even with the air conditioning on full blast, it felt like an inferno every time the door opened to the small eatery. She brought the glass up to her neck, pressing the cold condensation forming on the exterior of the glass to her warm skin.  
  
Thomas watched her movements with avid interest. His breath hitched the second he saw her crane her head up, exposing her neck and sliding the glass against the skin. It didn't help much more when she let a small moan escape her mouth.  
  
"I still can't believe this heat. I don't think I can take much more of it."  
  
"Uh... yeah." He averted his eyes, focusing on the half-eaten plate in front of him. "So, have you decided what you want to do about my little proposal?"  
  
She placed her glass onto the linoleum table and leaned backwards, sighing deeply. Her gaze shifted out the window with a slight wistfulness and emptiness in her expression. "It's rather pathetic," she snorted. "He doesn't even spare me a glance unless another man comes along. Do you know when I mentioned the prospect of you and I becoming an item, he took it badly? In some way, I'll always wonder if he took up the sudden interest because he was selfish and didn't want to lose me. I don't even know exactly what he sees me as, a friend or a lover. The line is so transparent nowadays. We step over it all the time without realizing it, with a simple brush against the arm or whisper in the ear. It makes it all the worse that what little I can have of him, I'm willing to take it." She smiled half- heartedly. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'll take what little I can get from him for as long as he will have me. I'm insanely and ignorantly in love with Nishikado Soujiro, and he will be the death of me."  
  
Thomas listened to her small impromptu speech, understanding quite well where the woman was coming from. It pained him a bit to see her lose all hope of anything remotely close to the ideals of love. What she had just described sounded more like the kind of love that has been bruised and beaten so many times that it's unrecognizable. Something inside of him wanted to make her see the world differently, see it as what it really is or could be.  
  
"We love them blindly and that is enough for me."  
  
She placed her hand over his, and gingerly rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand. "She cares for you more than you think."  
  
Her hand was taken away, and he blinked, almost missing the flicker of hope in her eyes. His eyes remained downcast, trying to muster the look of reassurance.  
  
"I don't know if what I feel for her is love. I don't even know what real love is. All I know is I've never felt more intensely for anyone in my life. When she smiles I know that everything is going to be okay. When she laughs I know the world is okay. She gives me a reason."  
  
"So, I guess we should shake on this." He extended his hand and took hers in his, sealing the deal. "We might have some fun along the way, too."  
  
She smirked, taking in the foreboding mischief. "Something tells me we'll be having a lot of that."  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
The high-pitched voice of a child sang along with the repetitive chorus of one of her morning cartoons, oblivious to everything around her. It was a bit scary to watch her attempt to maneuver the piece of toast in her hand towards her mouth, showing great hand to eye coordination for a five year old, all while keeping her eyes trained on the television screen.  
  
"A little to the left," Tsukasa mumbled to himself, watching Kaya engrossed by the television while eating her breakfast. He almost burst out in laughter when he saw the toast, splattered with thick amounts of jam, slam into her cheek.  
  
"Kaya! Will you please just finish your food first? That's the fifth time you've missed your mouth. I think I'll need to shower you off before we leave the house today."  
  
"Yes. Mama."  
  
"Are you going to finish up your breakfast then?"  
  
"Yes, Mama.'  
  
Tsukushi noticed the pattern forming with her daughter's responses and decided to use it to her advantage. "So, you're okay with never ever watching TV again?"  
  
"Yes, mama," she instantly replied. It took her a few minutes to register what the question was. "Wait! I'm not doing that!"  
  
"Too bad, kid. You agreed to it," Tsukasa taunted. He shook his head. "It's a good thing too 'cause if I had to listen to one more winky dinky girly saving the world puppet or cartoon I'm gonna throw myself off the balcony."  
  
Kaya jumped up from the floor and stomped over to the kitchen table, scowling. Feeling rather grumpy, she kicked him directly in the shin and stuck out her tongue. "I can watch whatever I want, Mr. Pineapple."  
  
"So, we're back to Mr. Pineapple, huh?" he sighed. "Will you stop calling me that?!"  
  
"No. That's what you are."  
  
"Are not!"  
  
"Are too!"  
  
"Are not!"  
  
"Are too!  
  
"Geez, if I knew that taking you in would be like getting another child to take care of, I would have taken a second thought about the idea," Tsukushi screamed, exasperated by the two of them. "Finish your breakfast, you! Tsukasa, stop letting a five year old get to you."  
  
"Fine," he groused, folding his arms across his chest, sulking.  
  
"Fine," Kaya agreed, turning back towards her half finished breakfast.  
  
"This is the last time I let you two stay up late like last night. The next morning you're both all grouchy." Tsukushi groaned to herself. Her eyes wearily drifted off to the stack of bills and paperwork she needed to tend to later that day. The little break they had all taken for the week was catching up on her, and the massive stack of things to do was about to topple over onto her.  
  
"Change the channel already."  
  
"No."  
  
"Do it."  
  
"No."  
  
"Do it," Tsukasa ground out between his teeth while keeping a perfectly faked smile on his face. His head ached at the sound of tinkling bell-like voices coming from the box in front of Kaya. Another program featuring laughing, dancing, singing, colorful, and oversized puppet-like characters emerged on the screen.  
  
"No," Kaya petulantly spouted back.  
  
"Fine, I'll make you do it then." He lunged out of his seat with a devious glint in his eyes. His fingers wiggled, searching for their target.  
  
"No!" Kaya squealed as she was pounced upon and pinned to the floor. She rolled back and forth as she was mercilessly tickled. Her labored breaths of laughter rang over the television.  
  
"Now will you change the channel?!"  
  
"No! Mama, help!"  
  
Tsukushi peered over the newspaper she was reading, watching the two children wrestle on the floor. She shrugged her shoulders and grinned. "I can't save you every time."  
  
"Mama!"  
  
"Okay," she drawled out after a long pause. She slapped the newspaper onto the table, and took one last sip of her morning coffee. With a running start, she leapt on top of the pile of bodies and began tickling Tsukasa from behind.  
  
"What?!" Tsukasa yelped in surprise. He rolled off of Kaya, and fell onto his back next to the kid. A large pillow hit him smack in the face, and Tsukushi stood over him, panting heavily.  
  
"Oh, it's on now!" Tsukushi began pounding them both with the pillow in her hands, laughing maniacally. "Now will you two listen to me after I've beaten you both to a bloody pulp?"  
  
Kaya turned to Tsukasa with wide eyes. The fear was evident in her face, knowing exactly how sadistic her mother could be with her pillow torture. "Run!"  
  
From outside the apartment, the neighbors walking by could hear the sound of screams and pleas of mercy. However, they knew all too well to just ignore the strange sounds that came from within.  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
Soujiro strolled half awake down the street, looking for the nearest place to eat. With the festering heat and lack of sleep, he was feeling less than his best at the moment. He shifted his shades, covering his eyes from the blistering rays of the sun, and peeked at the group of office ladies making their way to work in their short little business suit skirts. A few stopped to pass him a flirty wink and another, a bit more daring, slipped into his hand a piece of paper with her name and phone number scrawled in the flowery cursive of a woman's touch.  
  
The small boost in his ego was fleeting when thoughts of the conversation that had taken place in his car flashed before him. The slip of paper was mercilessly crumpled in his palm as he clenched his fist.  
  
Thomas and Yuuki, huh? I never saw that one coming. Last thing I heard Thomas was screwing one of his students in his class. He's always been one to sleep with the girls taking their English classes from him. I wonder what would happen if the program ever found out about his liaisons with these women. It could probably get his ass shipped back to America.  
  
He shook his head roughly, dispelling those unseemly thoughts. It was really none of his business what his friends did on their free time.  
  
Does Yuuki like him? They've never shown interest in each other before.  
  
That was before she started dressing and acting the way she does now. Did you really think that she did it for only you, dumbass?!  
  
No, I didn't mean it like that. She can do whatever she wants. She's a big girl now, and she doesn't need me like those days.  
  
She's in love with you.  
  
It's a crush.  
  
Fine, then let Thomas have her. She won't wait for you forever. You sure as hell wouldn't wait for her.  
  
There's nothing much to wait for in the first place. She deserves better. If Thomas is better then I'll be happy for her.  
  
Then why are your hands itching to wring his neck?  
  
"Shut up," he muttered to himself in pure frustration. A few heads turned to see the man caught so much in his own thoughts telling those imaginary voices in his head to quiet themselves. "Damn inner monologues."  
  
In his fit of incoherent rambling, he barely noticed the direction in which he was headed nor the person walking in the opposite direction. Both seemed too lost in their own minds to notice the other as they headed for a straightforward collision.  
  
"Oomph!" he groaned as something rather hard walked right into his chest. A sea of papers went flying up in the air, falling around them like sprinkling rain.  
  
"Shit!" a high voiced scream screeched from the ground.  
  
His line of vision barely left the sky as Soujiro made quick work to collect the fallen pieces of paper, trying his best not to let them stray too far. It was a comical sight to see the man chasing down the wayward sheets as they filtered across the pavement, the street, and in random places he didn't think they would be.  
  
"I'm so sorry," he profusely apologized, trying to straighten out the sheets. He bent over while clutching the loose stack in his hands.  
  
"Oh god!" She made a grab for the folders and papers, trying to shove them into the appropriate places, only causing further attention at the two of them as she sat spread out on the ground fumbling with her papers. "Please tell me I didn't lose the Kurata file!"  
  
He didn't know quite what to do exactly. One, he could have just walked away, leaving the frantic woman to her own devices. Then there was option two, he could try to help her look for the file she was so desperately in need of. The answer came when he spotted what appeared to be a rather thick file hiding under a nearby bench. He walked away to retrieve it, and dangled the sought after item in front of her face. That was when he recognized her face for the first time.  
  
Déjà vu.  
  
His breath immediately hitched. The facade as an experienced man of the world with the flawless charm and impeccable confidence in air crumbled around him, leaving that awkward fifteen year old he hoped would never resurface.  
  
"Sara," he gasped in disbelief. After briefly bumping into her a few weeks ago, he never thought he would see her again.  
  
Her hands shot out and grabbed the missing file, and she hugged it to her chest, mumbling something about saving her job. When she heard her name being called out, she instinctively looked from the hand to the face.  
  
"Soujiro!"  
  
Everything he had spent so long trying to hide was shattered with her mere proximity. There was only one woman who could ever reduce him to a pathetic stuttering monstrosity.  
  
"Jiro!" she exclaimed with faked surprise. By the tone in her voice, she was a little less than enthusiastic about bumping into him a second time. "We've got to stop meeting like this or I might get fired. Shit! I hope I have everything here." She rifled through the folders, glancing over their contents.  
  
Call it fate, destiny, or whatever, there had to be something with the alignment of the stars or something that seemed to keep pulling them together. Soujiro was a bit taken aback by the fact that she didn't run like a scared rabbit. He thought back to a few weeks ago when they had found themselves in the same exact situation. However, this time she had not opted to scramble for all her papers and make a mad dash away from him like the fiery flames of hell were after her.  
  
There was only so long she could spend immersed in the papers, so she slowly raised her head and offered a weak smile. "You've grown up a lot since I last saw you," she lamely stated.  
  
"So have you," he numbly replied. His feet shuffled beneath him as he lost all nerve to look at her in the face.  
  
She spun around slowly in a blatant display of her conservative beige skirt suit and newly highlighted brown sugar hair. After one full circle she placed her hands firmly on her hips, and she winked. "Not too shabby, huh? I've cleaned up rather nicely, I must say."  
  
"You have,' he agreed. "So, what are you doing here?" He winced a bit at the undisguised bluntness to his question.  
  
Her smiled faded, and her lips fell into a thin line, finally seeing that small bit of resentment she should have assumed he would feel. "I'm working full time now for the Minato Insurance Agency. It's rather boring really. I'm just an agent. I was on my way to a new site that is being looked at as a prospective client. I mainly specialize in building properties."  
  
He offered a weak smile. "Seems like you've made a life for yourself."  
  
She nodded her head animatedly. "I had to find some way to feed myself. I couldn't live under my parents forever.  
  
"Umm... I think I should be going now. You have work to do. It was nice seeing you," He hurriedly said his goodbyes, and began to walk briskly away, but was pulled back by a hand grabbing his wrist.  
  
"Wait, Jiro!" Sara nervously chewed on her bottom lip, and glanced upwards towards the large clock on the exterior of the bank. "Listen, I don't need to be at my next appointment until 11. Would you like to have a cup of coffee or something? I would really like to catch up a bit with you."  
  
He stared at the small hand on his arm to the woman looking up at him with pleading eyes. Something in him couldn't resist. Just like he couldn't resist her all those years ago, he still couldn't resist her today. "Fine."  
  
"How about over there?" She gestured to the tiny outdoor café across the street and took his arm, dragging him across the street without waiting for an answer.  
  
Soujiro followed her in morbid silence, regretting his weakness for the woman beside him, but that was dispelled when he saw her flash her lively smile at the waiter who directed them to a table. When she sat down, she settled her hands defensively on her lap, waiting for him to strike. By the grimace on his face, she knew right away he was in one of his fouler moods.  
  
If she was to be brought down by the deadly glares emitting from him, she would go down in a blaze of horrific glory.  
  
"You know I went back to look for you, but by then you were long gone."  
  
He tilted his head to the side, giving a sideways glance to the empty street across from him. "There was nothing much to go back to."  
  
"I heard about your mother," she barely whispered, as if speaking some forbidden secret. She recounted in her head how about a year or two ago when she had finally had the independence to go back to her childhood haunts to look for the certain boy that still plagued her at odd times in the night. "I'm sorry to hear she passed away."  
  
A nerve was struck in him, and all those repressed feelings that he had tried to ignore for so long were slowly resurfacing. He stared in odd fascination at her, wondering if she knew what sort of memories she was eliciting from him. It was a cruel punishment from his angel of mercy.  
  
"It's been a few years. I've gotten over it by now. Sometimes I really believe she's better off dead than alive."  
  
She winced at the harshness in his choice of words. Her fingers tapped against the side of her water glass as small drops of condensation collected on her fingertips. Out of an old bad habit, her left leg, which was crossed over the right one, was bouncing up and down impatiently. "Perhaps she is, but you must miss her."  
  
"Can we stop talking about her?" he growled lowly. "It would be just like you to bring up shit like this now."  
  
She sighed wistfully, and flicked the few drops of water off her hand onto the hot asphalt beneath them. The small action caused the cool liquid to hiss as it hit the ground with a small douse of smoke rising from the spots. "Fine. We'll talk about other things, then. What have you been up to the last time I saw you?  
  
"Oh, the usual." He impassively waved his hand. "My life is just like every boy next door's story. Boy falls in love with childhood friend. The kids do it. Girl's parents find out and take her away. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that boy's life is so fucked up, his dad would beat his mother every night since he was a kid until one day he cracked and he hit her a little too hard. Either it would be hitting his bitch or taking up the bottle. Boy's mother dies from a skull fracture and internal brain hemorrhaging when her head hits the wall a bit too hard." His fingers pinched together to emphasize the word 'bit.' "Boy's father gets thirty to life. Boy runs away. Everything after that is a bit hazy, but you get the gist. Sex, drugs, and sorry, no rock and roll."  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't know." Sara clamped a hand over her mouth, muffling the gasp of air that escaped her lips. "I really didn't know."  
  
"Yeah, well I was surprised you didn't do your research before you spoke too soon. Most of our old neighbors still live there. It was the talk of the community for a few months after everything. Everyone loves a scandal in the now not so peaceful middle class suburbia they idealized for so long. That about sums it up, so if you'll excuse me, I have to be going." He pushed his metal chair backwards with a loud scraping noise as it raked across the hard pavement.  
  
"Wait!"  
  
He stopped, but kept his back to her, afraid to show her how much his cool exterior had worn off in his tirade. "What do you want know?"  
  
"I don't remember you being this disagreeable, Jiro."  
  
That thin thread of sanity in him cracked as his head whipped towards her. "Don't call me that. I don't even understand why you want to have this little tête-à-tête. Clearly we have nothing to talk about, considering our less than amicable break up. I don't even know why I agreed to have coffee with you." He viciously tugged his hand through his hair, trying to make some sense out of the situation. It all went into an endless loop with the same conclusion that he was probably cursed with some masochistic tendencies.  
  
She stood up stiffly from her seat, and gathered her things. "We've both made a lot of mistakes. Can't we just forgive and forget? It's clearly obvious we aren't the same fifteen year olds we used to be. Why can't we at least be friends as adults?" All of the muscles in her jaw clenched as she yelled.  
  
It was a simple idea really. It didn't take a genius to see how foolish the entire concept was, a clean slate. However, that was exactly what Soujiro wasn't looking for. For all his life, he had made only one assertion on life itself. The past could and never would be forgotten. It is exactly what embodies all that we are. Losing that would be like losing a part of our souls, our very existence. You could hide from it, or ignore it, but in the end, it will follow you until the day you cease to exist.  
  
"I don't think we can do that."  
  
"Why not?" Slowly, she dragged the back of her hand against his cheek. She smiled a bit wider when the noticeable shiver in his body gave way to what he was feeling. She had felt it herself when she had seen him for the first time. "Why can't we just look at it like a long break we took? I don't know about you, but I could never forget my first, my Jiro."  
  
"I don't want to forget what happened between us," he icily stated. "I don't owe you anything."  
  
He wasn't exactly lying when he said those words. He really meant them for what they were worth. If she knew exactly which aspects of their past he wished to never forget, the deep scowl on her face would have been different.  
  
"You never showed up that night. I asked you to come see me that night before I left, but you never came. I waited all night for you, but you never showed up. Didn't you think it hurt that you never even came to say goodbye? Where were you that night?"  
  
"I don't want to talk about it. I wanted to be there, but things were out of my control. By the time I got there you were gone."  
  
And you took my heart with you.  
  
She released him from her grasp and stood firmly on the ground when she asked him the next question. "Did you see the message I left you?"  
  
All too painfully well.  
  
"I didn't," he lied.  
  
She knew it, too.  
  
"Then, I'll tell you right now. Love Jiro."  
  
He winced at the memory of the familiar words scrawled upon the billboard high above the city, professing a childhood love that dreams are made of. They could have been that perfect couple, the ones began as childhood friends blossoming into a lifelong love that could compare only to the greatest of the epic romances.  
  
It was all too painfully clear to remember those jumbled pubescent emotions at once. He lived and breathed for her. She was his light in all the horrific darkness around him. No matter how many times his father struck him down, no matter how many times he broke down in fear and anguish over his inability to protect his mother, she gave him reason to exist in this world because there was someone who gave a damn whether he lived or died. His mother was too far gone in her own quiet depression to properly love and care for him as she should have, but she was different. Sara gave him reason to want to live.  
  
But she had been taken away all too easily.  
  
Can you take back what has been lost?  
  
"I never got your reply," she stated more as a question than a statement. It was apparent that the dredging of what had been was beginning to take its toll on her as well. Her voice began to crack, and small, tiny, iridescent tears flowed down her flushed cheeks. "I've never forgotten you. Have you so easily forgotten me?"  
  
Words would not present themselves to him, which frustrated him to no extent. The idea of taking actions was resisted due to the knowledge that he might not be able to accept their consequences. All he could do was stand there, and stare blankly at her, letting the pregnant pause consume them.  
  
He made one step forward, and a hand reached out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Slowly, he leaned further and further to her face, stopping mere inches away. His warm breath tickled against her lips, and her chest heaved a heavy intake of air. Out of habit, she placed her own hands on his chest, waiting for him to make the first move as he had done one rainy afternoon so many years ago, in a time that seemed to have never existed.  
  
"Never," he whispered delicately into her ear. He bent down a bit lower, realizing the difference in their heights was still there, but now he did not need to bend so low as before. The gap was closed as his lips sought out hers, tasting her for the first time as a woman.  
  
It felt like nothing else in the world. Nothing would ever compare to her, to her kisses. There was that familiar temerity he recalled so much, the way her mouth slowly parted, letting him suckle teasingly on her bottom lip. When he managed to coax her mouth open, his thirst for her seemed unquenchable. So they stayed like that, ignoring the wide- eyed stares of passersby and the polite cough by the waiter trying to get their attention.  
  
He knew he shouldn't have done it, let her back into his life so easily, but what could he do?  
  
You never forget your first.  
  
-------------------------------  
  
Tsukushi and Akira stared down at the ledgers in front of them, both staring intently at the blur of numbers therein. Junpei lazily lounged on the couch, waiting for their reply, although it was taking a bit longer than he expected.  
  
"Wow! They are really willing to pay a lot for a party hosted by us," Tsukushi spoke up. She whistled as she picked up the budget proposal.  
  
Junpei lifted his head and nodded. "Well, these guys aren't paying chickenshit for a half assed party. They want the best, and you know we still hold the best reputation for parties. It makes us even more desired that we do it so rarely. People like to brag about the fact that they managed to get Last Resort to do one of their functions."  
  
"Yeah, we do have a rep to uphold," Akira agreed. He punched a few more buttons on the calculator, tallying up the total cost of the proposed event for evaluation towards their decision. "When was the last time we threw a party of this scale?"  
  
"I think about a year ago," Tsukushi answered. She tugged on the hair band wrapped around her wrist and pulled her hair back, twisting it into a ponytail. "I'm not so sure about this, though. We did make a ton of money off that private birthday party, but the stress level of pulling something off like that almost killed us. We only did it because we needed to pay for the new sound equipment, and to cover the damages done to the place over the years. We don't necessarily need to do it, and I'm personally not that desperate for cash to do this. What do you think, Akira?'  
  
"I don't know. It is really short notice to be doing this. The party is less than a month away. We could pull it off in a week or two, so that leaves us a two-week leeway to make a decision. We may not need the cash, but it might be good for some extra savings for future expenses we might incur. Plus, I know for a fact that the others would like a little bit of a bonus."  
  
Junpei hopped up from the couch, and sauntered towards the desk shared by Akira and Tsukushi. He sat down on the corner of the old wooden desk, admiring the numbers on the papers. "These guys are willing to pay anything to pull this off. I also got a few more offers from some other friends."  
  
"Where do you find these people anyway? I thought after the fiasco that happened a few years back, most of the inner circle wouldn't speak to you." Tsukushi looked up at him questioningly, wondering of the deal which sounded a bit too good to be true.  
  
"It was a long time ago. In the modeling world, all models are born with an expiration date. Most of the better ones last only a few years at most. I just got unlucky that my reputation got dragged through the dirt all 'cause of some bad press. No one wants to hire someone to represent their products with a criminal record."  
  
"You were really good at what you did, though. You could have kept doing it for a few more years if you didn't get into all those random fights. You really need to work on those rage issues."  
  
"Eh," he shrugged. "The whole pretty face thing got old fast. My agency wouldn't even hire me back after I messed up a few of their clients when we got shit faced during one of the after parties. I was never really happy with that life, letting people visually rape me all the time. I like what I do now. I don't know what I would have done if Susumu hadn't offered me this gig. I like getting paid to rough up people."  
  
"Geez, you make it sound like you work for the mob or something."  
  
"Yeah, well I kept in touch with some of the guys I met along the way. Some of them made it out better than others, I suppose. Your brother knew Hiro, too. We all rolled with the same crowd back in the old days. I still can't believe the poor bastard is getting married. Well, I guess if you're gonna sell your soul, you might as well go out with a bang. That is one wild bachelor's party there."  
  
Tsukushi lifted the list of requirements to her face. "There are a whole lot of strippers requested here." She raised a speculative eyebrow. "He does realize that we don't condone sex in the club and that all the girls we bring in aren't prostitutes, right?"  
  
"Uh huh, I told him straight out we don't do that kind of thing. The party plans weren't even penned out by Hiro. It was his best man that wrote up that list. I've seen Hiro. He's too pussy-whipped to dare plan something this crazy. His groomsmen are behind it all. When they heard that he had connections here, they jumped at the chance for the best."  
  
"I'm starting to wonder why we always get stuck with parties for men. For once, I would like to see the place filled with some male strippers."  
  
"Uh, there are a few on the list too," Junpei pointed out.  
  
Akira blanched, but the point was proven to be true when he took a second look at it.  
  
"A few of their buddies swing the other way. We can't be discriminatory on preferences."  
  
"I see. Tell them we'll get back to them after we think about it some more."  
  
"Okay. I should get going. I've got some guys to see about some temp work here."  
  
Tsukushi pushed herself away from the desk, letting her chair roll backwards a few feet. Her feet dropped onto the top of the desk with a dull thud that sent a few papers flying to the ground. She eyed them as they drifted in the air, but cared not to pick them up at the moment.  
  
Akira stretched his arms out and rubbed his eyes, trying to readjust them from all the reading they had done in the last few hours. They did manage to tackle most of the bills, contracts, and accounting books for the past month, but the tedious tasks still were a challenge.  
  
"Penny for your thoughts?" he asked, rubbing his temples.  
  
Tsukushi rolled her head backwards and closed her eyes. Her arms raised above her head, lifting her tank top a few inches above her stomach, revealing a small expanse of skin. One hand shot over her mouth when a loud yawn emitted from her. "I don't know. In some ways, I want to do it because it'll be good for business. With the work, we could probably afford to shut the club down for a week or two to let everyone off on a vacation. We all need one of those. I don't remember the last time we did that. I'm just not sure if I'm willing to go through hell to get it. Did you see those plans?"  
  
"Yeah, it's some pretty wild shit, but it is doable."  
  
She opened one eye, and glanced in his direction. "It would require us to open up the private rooms. Fuck, I don't remember when was the last time we used those rooms. It's been so much easier to monitor our customers when they're forced to be out in the open. I don't want people doing drugs or having sex up there. I still remember how horrifying it was to go up there with a black light to check out the damage to the couches. Shit was everywhere."  
  
"Well, people lose all inhibitions with the right lighting, their bellies full of booze, and clouded judgment. So, are we going to think this over for a bit?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Tsukushi rose from her seat, and walked towards the door, opening it to hear the sounds of people outside working. "We should get out there and help out a bit before opening."  
  
Akira passed on the idea, and decided to occupy her empty leather chair. "You go on ahead without me. I, uh, have a few more things to look over here."  
  
"That means you don't want to make your lazy ass do some real work," she grinned.  
  
"You know me all too well," he laughed, breaking out into a full smile. "I'll be out in a minute." His hands ruffled through his hair, pulling back the bangs that had fallen over his face.  
  
---------------------------------  
  
"How many more glasses do we have to wash?" Tsukasa whined for about the twentieth time in the last two hours. His hands were becoming chapped from dunking them in and out of the hot water. Glasses of all sizes bobbed up and down in the soapy water in front of him.  
  
Sakurako blew at a strand of hair that fell over her eyes. "Oh, about another three hundred. I'm starting to wish that we didn't put off cleaning up last time."  
  
"Now why can't someone else do this?"  
  
She loaded up another tray of glasses into the dishwasher and jammed her index finger into the start button. The soft hum of water swishing around the insides of the machine interrupted their conversation. "Trust me. You'll thank me later that I got you out of cleaning the bathrooms." She shuddered at the thought alone. "It was scrubbing toilets or scrubbing glasses.  
  
He pondered over the two choices and had to agree with her that they had lucked out on the coin toss. Tsuyoshi and Kin hadn't been as lucky. Tsukasa jumped slightly when he heard a godawful scream that sounded a lot like Kin coming from somewhere.  
  
Sakurako laughed to herself. "I think Kin just got into the women's bathroom."  
  
"I always thought the men's room was ten times dirtier than the women's. I heard you guys have a couch, mirrors, and all that frilly shit."  
  
She lifted an eyebrow at his assumption. "It's a whole different story when you get into the stall, buddy."  
  
"What the fuck is this?!" another voice boomed from the distance.  
  
"And that would be Tsuyoshi joining Kin," she giggled. Once again the annoying strand of hair fell over her eyes as she bent over to unload a clean tray of glasses to be transported to the bar.  
  
Tsukasa noticed her bothersome hair, and reached forward to tuck it behind her ear for her. His touch was light and gentle as the annoying locks were brushed aside. "There, that's better."  
  
"Thanks." Quickly she averted her gaze from him. A light fluttering formed in the pit of her stomach at his feathery touch.  
  
What's wrong with me lately? This is me, the girl who's probably had more men in the last few years than most people have in a lifetime, reduced to these pathetic flutterings. I haven't felt like this since... well, I haven't ever really felt like this. Maybe there was that one time, but that was ages ago, in another time and place.  
  
She snuck a glance at Tsukasa, studying him as he worked over the sink. It was a rather silly sight to see him donning an apron and yellow rubber gloves. It wasn't exactly the sexiest thing to be wearing at the moment. However, her hungry eyes just couldn't get enough of the slight ripple of his biceps as his hands moved beneath the sudsy water. With each slight movement the muscles tensed and released, exposed by the thin covering of a red wife beater shirt. Every time he reached his arm up to wipe away the forming of small rivulets of sweat slipping down his face, his shirt would lift just enough to teasingly allow a peek at the inkling of a toned six pack hidden beneath his attire. The way his baggy pants slightly hung low on his hips, and the slight slip of them displaying the faint trail of hair that started near his navel traveling down to his lower regions. She didn't need much imagination to know what he looked like topless, considering she got an eyeful yesterday at the pool. It was enough to make her mouth go dry.  
  
Tsukasa was a fine piece of the male species. That she could not deny.  
  
However, there were the seemingly innocent rules of Last Resort that hindered her desire to take him on the floor right then and there. It was one of those unspoken rules out of many that everyone firmly believed in to some extent, the rules of attraction. No one ever forbid the concept of developing romantic relations outside of the club, nor was it very often that it occurred. Within their tight knit group, the geometric ties of love were mind-boggling, but outside of that there was that fine line of business and outside life. None of the girls ever dated any of the bodyguards or male bartenders that drifted in and out of the place every few months when business got too busy. It was the same with the guys concerning the female temporary help.  
  
Tsukasa was different though. He managed to assimilate himself so easily into the clique.  
  
"Hey, Sakurako?"  
  
"Huh?" she so eloquently replied when she heard her name being called.  
  
"Are you okay? You've been drying that same glass for the last five minutes."  
  
She stared down at her hand, and her eyes widened, realizing that he was right. "Oh, sorry. I spaced out there for a minute."  
  
The look of concern etched on his face dimmed a bit. "Did anyone tell you, you look nice today?" he added. The comment was made on his part with the calculated motive of drawing her out of her slight bout of melancholy by attacking her weak point, her vanity.  
  
Sakurako stared down at her baggy pair of tan cargo flood pants, a black tank top that had seen better days, and grungy, old pair of sneakers. To her, she resembled one of those sixteen-year old teeny boppers trying to look like a skater punk. She saw right through his lie. "I find that hard to believe."  
  
He vehemently shook his head, disagreeing with her. "You look much better like this than when you're trying to be that other person. It's much more easy to be around you like this. I don't mean to offend you or anything, but I think guys find a woman much more attractive when she's herself."  
  
A frown formed on her face. His words struck a chord in her. It was rare that someone who knew her for such a short time could be perceptive enough to see right through her. The only ones who ever did were Akira and Tsukushi. From day one, they saw right through the façade she carried with a defined skill and execution. Susumu had been the first to make that fact known pointblank in her face when they first met. They all saw beneath the layers of makeup, the scandalous clothing, and the air she carried, simply stating one word, sex.  
  
A bit of her ego fell with her secret let out.  
  
Tsukasa spoke up once again, feeling a bit stupid for blurting that out, not really knowing whether or not she was insulted by his assessments. "I overheard Tsukushi talking about you and Yuuki's new makeovers. It's kind of funny of how you two were on polar opposites. Yuuki was too kiddy for her own good, and you were.... Uh...."  
  
"Slutty?"  
  
He was quick to defend himself. "I didn't mean that. I think liberal with clothing is a better way to describe it. You two just need to stay somewhere in the middle. Well, at least that's what my sister told me about girls, from what I remember," he shyly concluded.  
  
She rethought her choice of the attire, agreeing with him. Comfort was something she generally pushed aside for that shocking factor in her form of dress. A sly thought crossed her mind. "So what kind of girl do you like?"  
  
The question threw him a bit off-balance when the conversation was turned around on him. He stopped his work for a moment to ponder over it. In reality he had never really thought much about what exactly was his ideal woman. Most of them had always had some large glaring flaw that bothered him to no ends. "I guess, a girl who knows who she is and doesn't hide it."  
  
The vague answer didn't do much for her, but she chose not to pry any further. There were too many jumbled thoughts in her head at the moment.  
  
All of the lies and games were becoming tiresome anyway. Maybe the girls were right that I should take a different approach. It may sound stupid, but I've never been with a man who knew the real me, at least not after him. He broke my heart, took my innocence away, and left me empty. I couldn't bear that feeling again. It's going to sound silly, but am I developing a crush on Tsukasa?  
  
The mere utterance of his name in her mind made her face flush.  
  
A cold dash of water hit her in the chest, followed by a deep, full laughter.  
  
"What the?!"  
  
"If you keep spacing out like that I don't think we'll finish before next year," Tsukasa laughed. The sprayer attached to the faucet was gripped in his hand as another peal of laughter erupted from him at her shocked face. That look was enough to make his day.  
  
"Oh, don't think you'll get away with that!" she shrieked.  
  
He motioned her forward with his hand. "Bring it on, little girl."  
  
"It's on now," she replied in a deadly whisper. Her hand reached for the bucket of water on the counter, and she threateningly swished the full container with a gleam of certain death in her eye.  
  
"You wouldn't do it."  
  
"Yes, I would. Prepare to meet your maker!"  
  
The entire contents of the container were thrust at him, and a huge splash of water hit him in the face at full force. Thus, began an all-out water war between the two. Armed with the spray nozzle from the faucet, and she with the sink full of water, they splashed and sprayed themselves silly until they were soaked and covered in soapy water. Their screams of battle could be heard all throughout the club as it waged on.  
  
"You're not being fair! You have the hose, and all I've got is buckets of water. We need to even out things."  
  
"No way!"  
  
They both stood at a standstill, waiting for the other to make the first move, which would probably be the deciding factor to declare a victor. Although by the way they looked, it seemed no one could claim the title.  
  
"Put yours down."  
  
"No, you put yours down."  
  
"Okay, we'll do it on the count of three."  
  
"One. Two. Th..."  
  
"Ah!"  
  
Sakurako lunged forward with her last bucket of water. Unfortunately the ground was slippery beyond belief, with water pooling at their feet. She didn't stand a chance as the rubber soles of her sneakers met the wet ground. Her body flew at him, knocking him completely off balance and onto the ground. She soon found herself thrown on top of him in a mangled mess of limbs. Both burst out in uncontrollable laughter that wracked through their bodies. Neither even noticed the close proximity their faces were to each other until, their laughing subsided. Sakurako looked down at him with droplets of water dripping off her face and hair onto him. Their noses practically touched.  
  
"Can you get off?" Tsukasa breathily asked.  
  
"Sure," she shakily replied. She rolled off of him after a few clumsy attempts. Her entire body seemed to be unable to respond to the commands she gave it. A hot stain of pink colored her cheeks, and that fluttering in her stomach was turning into twisting knots. She pushed herself off the ground, but made sure to keep her face away from his. "I'll go get a mop to clean up this mess. You finish up with the glasses. I'll be back." She hurriedly excused herself and ran out the door.  
  
She was scared out of her wits. Everything just seemed a bit too much all at once. One minute she saw Tsukasa and the next thing she knew he was this entirely different person to her. It was just an infatuation that showed no signs of fruition, but now her body was telling her it was much more.  
  
I think it's too late now.  
  
--------------------------------  
  
"I haven't had that much fun in a long time!" Yuuki squealed in joy as she sat in the passenger seat of Thomas' car. Her heart was still pounding in her chest after that last ride on the rollercoaster.  
  
It was a strange turn of events when Thomas decided to break their somber lovesick mood of the morning with a romp through the amusement park. She had no choice in the matter when he took her hand and dragged her from ride to ride, forcing her into submission by his cruel means. With that little boy pout of his, she was a goner. Somewhere in all the madness, Thomas has managed to do what was needed for their plan to work. By getting Yuuki to relax, he was able to spend some quality time with her and have them learn a bit more about each other. In between stuffing their faces with cotton candy and other fat-filled and sugarcoated delicacies and stomach turning rides, small snippets of conversation were captured.  
  
"Really? I usually try to make a few trips here now and then when I have free time from work. I think you're the first girl to make it all the way through the park without bailing on me," he laughed. He kept one hand on the steering wheel while another patted her on the knee. "It seems I may have finally found my partner in crime."  
  
"Don't start thinking we'll do this every week," Yuuki gently reprimanded him. Her lips quivered into the smile she was holding back. "Next date, I get to choose where we go."  
  
"Ah, so there will be a next date." He turned his head for a moment, casting her a quick wink. "You always seem so tense all the time. You should relax a bit more often. You know, loosen up a little."  
  
It was embarrassing to admit it, but Thomas was right. Yuuki thought over the last time she had just kicked back, and not given a damn. All her actions, thoughts, and words were always carefully, methodically thought out with certainty that they would be appropriate. The realization finally dawned on her of the purpose of their impromptu trip to the theme park. With Soujiro and all the other men she had been with, there was always that small unease in herself that she couldn't let go, wanting to be everything they wanted of her.  
  
"And loosening up consists of heckling those guys dressed up as theme park mascots?" she giggled.  
  
"Hey, that dude in the costume kept staring down your shirt while I was taking the picture. He deserved a little kick in the ass for that," he grimaced.  
  
"Was it worth it getting us kicked out?"  
  
"Hell yeah."  
  
"You're such a kid. This might be a bad example for your students."  
  
"There's nothing wrong with that. I don't know what they would do if they saw their English teacher cramming a corn dog in his face while kicking some guy's ass in the panda costume. Oh, the horror of it all!"  
  
"Thomas McKay you're a bad influence."  
  
"Thank you very much for the compliment." He let out a content sigh as his foot slackened on the gas pedal, letting the car coast down the clear highway. His eyes drifted out into the far horizon to the velvety canvas splattered in blotches of orange, red, and yellow hues. Tufts of cottony soft clouds drifted by, capping off the tip of the endless sea of sky. The wonder of nature before him set the mood for the small silence that took over.  
  
Yuuki snuck a peek at her companion in the car, and let out a light sigh of contentment. She normally would have felt awkward in the midst of a pause in conversation, but for once she didn't feel the need to fill in the silence. A small pang of guilt hit her at the thought that she had never really known Thomas that well, considering the number of years they had seen each other as co-workers. Perhaps it was due to her own attachment to Soujiro and her peers around her own age. There was always that defined line between Tsukushi's group and Susumu's crew. With their age differences, the two had always remained divided, but with Susumu's passing they were forced to meld into one working unit. She saw no need to speak to or see Thomas outside work at the club, so there had been little interaction needed between the two. In essence, they had been practically strangers.  
  
"So what are you thinking about?" she asked.  
  
A small smile graced his lips. "I was just thinking about how much this sunset reminds me of the days I used to spend with friends at the lake after a long day of swimming. There was a way the light would hit the top of the trees, peeking between the leaves so that the water would glimmer with small sparkles. My parents always used to laugh at me when I said that there was treasure on the bottom of the lake as a kid." He took a slow long breath, concentrating on his driving. "Tokyo, Japan isn't much different from Ashland, Virginia. Both feel like home."  
  
She gently placed her smaller hand over his on her thigh and squeezed. "Do you ever think about going back to see your family?"  
  
"Sometimes, I guess. After my dad retired from the Navy, he finally planted roots in my grandparents' old house. When grandpa died, he left the place to them anyway. My sister, Caroline and her husband moved to Richmond, being the big shot lawyer he is. My younger brother, Jacob, is just starting his second tour of the Middle East. Why he chose to follow our dad's footsteps is beyond me, but I guess one of us had to carry on the family tradition. Like the saying goes, 'Semper fidelis'."  
  
Yuuki's grip on his hand slacked as she listened to him speak so fondly of his own family. Family was never really something she knew much of, considering she had been brought up alone by her widowed father. It was always the two of them, and their relationship had been nothing close to resembling the conventional bond between father and daughter.  
  
Family? To this day I still don't understand what family really means. It was always daddy and I. We were never very close to begin with. I guess, I'm a bit jealous of Thomas and his family. I wonder if things would have been much different if my mother had lived, but there's no use thinking about such wishful things.  
  
"Well, he must be proud of you no matter what. You are his son."  
  
He shrugged his shoulders, not really sure what to say in response. "He shows it in his own little ways. If it weren't for him and a few of his connections in the government, I wouldn't have been able stay in this country. He pulled a few strings to get me that working visa through the foreign exchange program. I'm a little glad that my dad dragged us around the world with his job. I've seen places some people have only dared dream about. Japan was always my favorite country we lived in. When I was eight and we moved here, it was a complete culture shock, but the four years we lived here changed my life. My dad always knew I missed Japan the most when we moved back to the States."  
  
"I would like to one day see the world," she wistfully sighed.  
  
"I could see you as a Paris type of girl. Although, I must say the French are highly overrated."  
  
"A little biased, aren't we? Did a little French girl break your heart or something?" she teased.  
  
"Yep, and with that she took my virginity," he countered. "It was first love. What can I say?"  
  
"Today was fun," Yuuki piped in, going completely off topic. She blushed when he bit back the laugh at her sudden outburst. However, she had managed to turn the conversation away from the distressing subject of love.  
  
He caught her not so subtle way of changing topics, and decided to let it slide. "You've already said that, but I agree with you. It kind of reminded me of the days when Susumu and I would blow off a day by goofing off like this. He was a true master of rides. No matter what Susumu did, he was always the best at everything."  
  
"I know. Remember the time Junpei dared him to go skydiving with him? Junpei got freaked when they hit the sky and Susumu decided to jump, but not before he pushed him out first."  
  
Thomas' loud, deep laughter filled the car. "I remember that. For weeks, Junpei kept insisting he saw the light. But do you want to hear a little secret?"  
  
"What?!" she asked in great interest. She leaned in closer to him, enraptured by his words.  
  
"That wasn't the first time Susumu jumped out of a plane."  
  
"You're kidding!"  
  
"Nope. Scout's honor," he asserted, raising his hand. "Junpei must have forgotten that Susumu went to a military academy his last year of high school. They had those guys jumping out of planes, running through obstacle courses, and firing machine guns off in their sleep. For Susumu, the task was a cakewalk. He did it just to see Junpei get scared shitless. Those two were always coming up with dares just to see who would be the first to crack under the pressure."  
  
"It sounds like something he would do. He was always trying to find ways to make us face our fears. When I was too scared to wait tables my first time, he shoved me into the largest, loudest table and suggested we play drinking games. He got so into the games with us I forgot I was working. He always knew how to make you feel better."  
  
"Yeah, he did." His voice quavered a bit at the words. "It's just never been the same without him, but I couldn't find the strength to leave her after he died. My dad suggested I stay here and look out after Tsukushi. After all, Susumu was like a brother to me. My family practically adopted him when he lived with us. Dad loved him like a son. It was actually Susumu who talked him into letting me live my own life when I dropped out of college after my first year. After his riveting argument for my benefit, dad got suckered in by Susumu's charm. He always said, 'Susumu was a man who would do great things no matter how small they seemed.'"  
  
"You miss him much."  
  
"I do, but things happen in life, ya know? We can keep thinking about the past and dwell on what could have, should have, and would have been, but in the end, we are where we are for a reason."  
  
"So, don't you think maybe Sakurako and you aren't together for a reason?"  
  
"Maybe, but I'm not willing to give up on her just yet. Look, we're here," he pointed out as he parked in the back of the club. "Ready to put on a show?"  
  
She vigorously nodded her head, and stepped out of the car. Thomas pulled out the giant Pikachu doll he had won for Yuuki from his back seat and hoisted it over his shoulder.  
  
"Are you sure you don't want to keep this thing? I did win it for you after all," Thomas poked his finger into the fluffy marshmallow mass of a doll.  
  
"Umm... That's okay. I don't think I have room for him at my place. Plus, I know Kaya will love him. We'll just shove him into the office for now so Tsukushi can bring him home to her later.  
  
"I wish I was spoiled rotten like her as a kid," he pouted.  
  
"Well, perhaps if you didn't do things like skateboard off the roof of the house, your parents would have spoiled you a bit more."  
  
"Hey, that was an experiment of gravity and science."  
  
"Uh huh, I bet that's what you told the doctor that had to put your leg in a cast."  
  
"Remind me to share less with you."  
  
"Aww! But I love hearing stories about your childhood. It'll be useful for future blackmail."  
  
"Definitely should have ended the conversation earlier," he sighed.  
  
Her laughter filtered into the large room as they entered the club. They waved and said their polite hellos to the crew already setting up for the night, and they were welcomed by another laughing couple. Tsukasa and Sakurako, soaking wet and laughing their heads off, burst out from the kitchen. Sakurako skidded across the ground and grabbed Thomas, using him as a human shield and in effect knocking Yuuki away from his side.  
  
"Thomas! Save me!" Sakurako shrieked as she ducked behind his back.  
  
"Whoa! What the hell is going on?" Thomas yelled. A large wet stain grew on the front of his shirt where Sakurako had grabbed. He tenderly pulled the small girl from behind him, and pushed her in front of him. The large Pikachu doll on his shoulder had fallen to the ground, which Yuuki picked up to drag away.  
  
All of a sudden Yuuki didn't feel like she really belonged there. As usual, Sakurako had so easily captured Thomas' interest, and he no longer felt a need to be with her. As the russet haired, sopping wet girl waved her arms enthusiastically around, retelling her harrowing ordeal of being water attacked, Thomas' attention seemed to be completely engaged at the moment. Sighing, she picked up the doll and decided to drag it to the office for safekeeping.  
  
"Yuuki?"  
  
"Hmm..." she replied, not paying much attention to the person speaking to her.  
  
Tsukushi frowned at the sight of what had happened. It was really none of her business, and she had learned long ago that in their small world Sakurako had a way of stealing the spotlight. Yuuki had been more of the fan cheering on the sidelines. The entire time she had been standing in the hallway, quietly observing the show going on. From what she had seen, Thomas and Yuuki had joined in their unholy alliance. However, she also saw what had happened in the kitchen. There seemed to be a small snag in the plan.  
  
"Are you okay, Yuuki?"  
  
She put on a brave, forced smile, and nodded her head. "Of course. I was just thinking how horrible it would be if this got wet when we brought it back for Kaya."  
  
Tsukushi looked down at the enormous doll and groaned inwardly as she thought of the lack of space in Kaya's bedroom already. It was a nice thought, but there was an utter lack of practicality in the choice of size. "That was nice of you two. Did you and Thomas go somewhere?"  
  
"Uh huh. We went out to the amusement park."  
  
"Oh geez, he must have dragged you everywhere. I've been with him before, and he's merciless."  
  
"I know what you mean," she laughed. "I think if I passed out during the afternoon, he would have still dragged my lifeless body onto every ride."  
  
"Tsukasa! You can go dry off and get another change of clothes in the dressing room. I think we have a few spare clothes back there," Tsukushi laughed as she watched him wring out his shirt.  
  
"Thanks," he waved and walked away to do just that.  
  
Turning her attention back to Yuuki, she smiled softly while keeping her eyes on Thomas and Sakurako. Keeping her voice just low enough for Yuuki to hear, she flatly said, "I know what you and Thomas are up to."  
  
"What?!" Yuuki gasped. "I knew it was a stupid idea," she groaned. "I think I'm starting to have second thoughts about this now."  
  
A light laugh escaped her lips. Tsukushi rested her hand on Yuuki's back. "I didn't say it was a stupid plan. I was just saying that I know what you're doing. I never said I would tell anyone else." She glanced over at Sakurako, who had managed to get everyone else engaged in her contagious good mood. "Sakurako's always had that ability to draw men to her, you know," she stated matter-of-factly.  
  
"I know. She's always been able to keep her men on short leashes."  
  
"Thomas has the same charisma, too. When you're with him he makes it feel like you're all that matters. You can't help but feel a little let down that his attention strays to other people and they feel the same things you do. It's that feeling of being all that matters. It's too bad that two people that have the exact same effect on other people can't get it right."  
  
"Is this going anywhere?"  
  
"I do have a point. Maybe that's what you need to learn about Jiro. You can't always make him the center of your world, and you can't rely on Thomas to make you that. Don't let this be about a plan to capture their hearts. I think you two might learn more about each other than you think. What I'm trying to say is, if things don't work out as planned, don't let this chance slide. Thomas is a good guy. Sakurako is dense. I love that girl, but she's too thick-headed for her own good. You two may not be the love of your lives, and I'm not saying to settle. Perhaps, Jiro is who you are meant to spend the rest of your life with, but now just isn't the time for him to realize that. Maybe it's time for you to learn what it's like to love someone in a different way. Love someone as your equal."  
  
"I'm not going to fall in love with him."  
  
"Maybe not, but I can see you are jealous right now. What I don't understand is why?"  
  
Yuuki sighed dejectedly, and rubbed the soft top of the Pikachu's head. "I can't be like her." She pointed towards Sakurako. "I've always wanted to be her. I want to be the one to say when, where, how, and why. Men listen to her. They go looking for her."  
  
"And she rejects every single one of them. Do you think she's really happy? It's an act to shield herself from people really knowing her and she knowing them. You have a good heart, and that is what men want. In the long run, the cheap thrill will end the day after. Trust, friendship, and faith are what really matter. Thomas sees that in you, Jiro sees it in you, and we all see that in you. No one is better than the other. You just need to learn to see yourself for who you are and like who you see."  
  
"Thank you," she whispered.  
  
What Tsukushi said really did have an effect on her. She looked on as Akira joined the loud group, and Thomas pulled himself away to smile at her. He smiled back and waved her over. Placing the oversized doll on a chair, she ran over to him, letting him wrap an arm around her waist. The two leaned into each other, fitting perfectly with the other in a companionable ease.  
  
"You think they'll ever get it right?" a voice asked from behind her.  
  
Tsukushi turned around and softly smiled at Rui. "Hey, stranger. When did you get here?"  
  
"Just dropped Kaya off with Tama, and decided to head over here early for practice. I don't remember you to be so well versed and passionate about the complexities of love," he teased. "Were we ever that idiotic like them? I think we handled things a bit better."  
  
"Nah. I think about five years or so of spite and guilt looming over our heads was much better than their situation. Denial is a pain in the ass. We had everything out in the open. With what they hold back, I'm surprised one of them hasn't cracked yet."  
  
"It took us a while, but I think we managed to finally get things right."  
  
"I was never angry at you, Rui. Betrayal is a hard pill to swallow. More than anything else, I felt humiliated that I never saw what was in front of me. Shizuka is a whole other story. What she took from me is unforgivable."  
  
"I can't convince you otherwise," he sighed in defeat.  
  
"Sorry, but that won't be happening any time soon." She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against the wall, joining her somber companion. "For some odd reason, I have this feeling like everything's going to change. I don't know if it'll be good or bad, but I can see a lot of changes coming." Her fingers idly traced the marred wall, outlining the prickly concrete surface. "How are the trip plans coming?"  
  
"Good," he answered with half closed eyes. "We've gotten reservations at the Crown. It was a pretty good deal to rent one of the small beach houses lined up along the beach. We'll have some privacy that way."  
  
"That's nice," she absently replied. "I know Kaya is looking forward to it. We're going to go shopping for some new beach clothes for her this week."  
  
Reference to the Crown resort only brought up the memory of Kazuya. His words still plagued her, even though it had been a few days since their encounter. She let him get under her skin more than she let on, and it was an inner battle to restrain herself from proving him wrong. The fact of the matter was that she didn't know what she wanted. Perhaps it was fear of tasting bitter disappointment, one she knew all too well. In her short lifetime so far, not many had proven her wrong about reliance on others. She could never escape the confines of her role as the leader, the one everyone expected the most from. Being buried under a mountain of responsibility and emotional baggage was her duty, and hers to bear alone.  
  
"You don't have to, you know. I can take care of that."  
  
"No, it's okay. It's my job."  
  
She had long ago accepted her fate, but that didn't mean that she was not going to be a driving force in changing that. Looking at her friends, she smiled to herself.  
  
Everything is going to change. When everything is said and done, they'll be okay to go on without me.  
  
---------------------------------  
  
He strolled lazily through the back door of the club, lost in a haze of his own pensive thoughts. His mood had taken a huge turn from that morning, and an unsettling unease just wouldn't go away. He silently cursed himself for so easily getting caught up in Sara.  
  
Sara. She still has that hold on me. I guess it's natural that I would fall at her feet so easily. With our history, its hard to ignore the obvious. She did achieve the impossible.  
  
She broke my heart.  
  
His head lifted up when he caught the laughter to what must have been the funny part of the story when he walked into the lighted club. Everyone was gathered in the middle of the dance floor, talking about something with bits and chunks of their random conversation drifting towards his ears.  
  
His steps faltered suddenly when he noticed something particularly disturbing. Once again, he was brought back into that confusing dilemma that was Yuuki. His eyes bore into Thomas as he watched her lean so comfortably into him, and giggle lightly at something he had just whispered into her ear.  
  
Whatever that odd feeling he was encountering, he pushed it aside. In a way, he laughed at how it felt like he was in the twilight zone. Tsukushi and Rui were silently leaning against the far corner near the hallway leading towards the main office, and they were smiling and carrying on much like the days when they were in high school. Sakurako was actually dressed very conservatively and in something that could be deemed appropriate for someone her age. For some odd reason, she was soaking wet from head to toe.  
  
It's all so wrong.  
  
"Hey, Jiro! I've been looking for you. I need to talk to you about inventory," Akira yelled as he popped out from nowhere. "I see there's a few missing cases, and I was wondering if you just forgot to log them down before you took them?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Okay, Akira doing work. Everything is definitely wrong.  
  
"What the fuck is going on?" he yelled, throwing his arms up in the air. "Someone get me when everyone stops being so damn happy and we go back to being our miserable selves." He spun on his heel and stormed out of the club, leaving a string of curses in his wake.  
  
"What's his deal?" Sakurako obliviously asked.  
  
He stalked outside back into the blazing heat, and resolved to spend the last few hours before opening leaning against the side of the building in the shade. It seemed like nothing was right at the moment. His head hurt, his stomach was churning furiously, and he just couldn't seem to think straight.  
  
His hand reached into his pocket, yanking out a crumpled napkin with a few numbers scrawled in pen. It was a cruel joke to have her come into his life again. That chapter had been closed a long time ago. His hand flexed, balling the napkin in it, and he pulled his arm back to toss it, but stopped. He couldn't let it go. He couldn't let her go.  
  
He groaned once again as his stomach made somersaults. He dwelled a bit on the idea of just going home and making some excuse he was sick, but an overwhelming sense of duty to stay and work through one of their busier days of the week killed the idea. It was times like this that made him crave for a good hard drink. His hands trembled at the thought, and his mouth watered a bit at just the thought of the bitter liquid sliding over his taste buds. The temptation was hard to resist, but resist he did. He wouldn't break his abstinence. One or two was usually hard enough to swallow down, but he knew once he started he wouldn't stop at a time like this. He would just stand there, and let it all pass.  
  
Maybe what he was denying was what he had known all along. Maybe he wasn't over her like he thought he was.  
  
But oh, what he would have given to drown out all of these emotions. The emergence of dead infatuations is enough to kill any man.  
  
--------------------------------  
  
"What's his deal?" Sakurako asked as she watched Soujiro march away after throwing his hissy fit.  
  
"Who knows?" Thomas answered. His grip tightened on Yuuki, and he pulled her closer to himself. He looked down to see the worried expression on her face, but he flashed her a smile in reassurance. "It looks like this might be working," he whispered into her ear.  
  
"Maybe," she numbly replied. Something was gnawing at her, though. It wasn't like Jiro to lose his temper so easily, and she had never expected him to react so openly at them. She noticed the way his glare pierced right through them in their suspicious manner, but something was telling her there was more to his loss of control. While lost in her thoughts, she never even realized that her hand had drifted to Thomas' back, rubbing slow lazy circles.  
  
Sakurako's attention was taken away from whatever it was Kin was telling her about when she looked over to see Thomas and Yuuki. Her attention was caught at the way they seemed to be suddenly cozying up to the other. It wasn't uncommon for the group to be openly touchy, but for the two to be Yuuki and Thomas, it was a bit of a surprise. She thought back to the other day at the pool and the way the two seemed to have bonded over their random act of vengeance and destruction. It wouldn't be uncommon that with the adrenaline rush of getting caught, some sort of romantic inclinations could have evolved in the experience.  
  
However, the pairing alone was enough to leave her flabbergasted.  
  
Who would have thought those two would get together? What happened to Soujiro?  
  
She continued to gawk at the couple, trying to make some sense out of it all, but ended up going in circles in her attempt. Something did not sit right within her to see Yuuki keeping all of Thomas' attention. He had even walked away mid-sentence to attend to Yuuki when she was talking to him. Although she just shrugged it off as nothing, it did bother her to some extent of his rudeness. Being ignored was unfamiliar territory for her, and she didn't like it one bit. More so, the fact that Thomas was the one doing it just egged on the small bit of fury in her.  
  
Her feet were moving without her knowledge and she found herself walking right up to them. "Why are you guys all alone over here?" she asked, barely masking the biting tone in her voice.  
  
Thomas laughed, and kissed Yuuki on the top of her head. "We were just talking about something we saw at the amusement park."  
  
She cocked her head to the side. "You guys went to the amusement park?"  
  
Yuuki nodded her head. "Yeah. It was so much fun."  
  
It wasn't a strange occurrence to know that Thomas spent most of his summers dragging some poor victim to the amusement park with him, forcing them through a day of tortuous stomach-turning rides. She felt a bit left out that she wasn't even asked to go like every other time he went.  
  
"Oh, you did? You should have told me. I would have gone, too. Did you bring me some cotton candy, Thomas? You always do."  
  
An awkward silence ensued as Thomas and Yuuki looked to the other to say something.  
  
Yuuki was the first to speak up. "Well, we sort of decided to go alone, Sakurako."  
  
In response, the red head gave them a perplexed look on her face.  
  
Thomas joined in, not wanting to leave all the explaining to Yuuki. Even though their supposed relationship was entirely false, he never expected the act of telling Sakurako about it to be difficult. For a minute, he really did believe their act to be true.  
  
"Sorry, I forgot. I was a little busy and all. I got a little caught up spending time with Yuuki on our date to remember. Next time, I promise."  
  
"Oh, okay." Her disappointment was evident in her face and voice. "Umm... I should get back to the others. I don't want to miss the end of Kin's story." She walked away with a strange feeling she couldn't put her finger on. When she arrived back to her original group, Tsukasa had finally reappeared.  
  
"Something wrong?" he asked, examining the confusion written all over her face.  
  
"He's never forgotten," she mumbled to herself.  
  
It was just another noisy, drunken night for Last Resort. School had finally let out, leaving thousands of the city's youths free to party to their hearts' content. The clientele was becoming more mixed in a sea of suits, college kids, and the normal clubbers. The combination of horny old men and young college guys with lonely older women and young girls beginning their voyage into sexual exploration was always a bad one. More so, it meant scantily clad girls searching for their summer fling and hot, sexually frustrated men in pursuit of sex, sex, and more sex.  
  
"Get your ass back here, Akira! I'm dying here!" Tsukasa threw his hands up in the air, signaling defeat in his attempts at trying to keep up with the barrage of orders being flung at him.  
  
Akira waved a dismissive hand. "You're doing fine."  
  
"My hands may be full now, but I'm gonna kick your ass for this later."  
  
"Hey Rui! We're drowning back here. Just give us a hand until your next set is up."  
  
"Fine," he curtly agreed. He hopped over the counter and quickly began taking on orders like it was second nature to him.  
  
Rui sullenly poured drinks into glasses, ignoring the leering looks from the women at the bar. With each phone number slipped in with his tip, he would toss the piece of paper into the overflowing trash bin. Unlike the line of people vying for Tsukasa's attention to fill their orders, the crowd in front of Rui calmly waited to place their order. Tsukasa could only feel awestruck at how people always paid Rui some freakish respect. Rui had that effect on a lot of people.  
  
"The next guy that grabs my ass is gonna find my foot up theirs. After tonight my ass is going to be black and blue."  
  
"I know what you mean. If I have to listen to another drunken asshole cleverly compare my name to sounds I would make in bed, I'm going to lose it." Tsukushi slumped down onto the counter, ignoring the rolling list of drinks she had yet to serve. "If it's not the binge drinking that'll kill half the people in this club tonight then it has to be the heat killing all their brain cells."  
  
"Wait! Is that why you chose Mona?" Akira innocently laughed. "You were quite a vixen in bed."  
  
"Dumbass!" Tsukushi screamed, hitting him on the back on his head with her tray. "And why aren't you tending bar?! I don't pay you to sit around watching everyone else do work!"  
  
"To Akira, that is work." Rui placed a glass of water next to Tsukushi's hand, which she gladly gulped down.  
  
"It's like a mad house in here. It's good for business, though."  
  
"I don't think I can take another night like this," Sakurako whined while fanning herself with a napkin. "This heat wave is going to kill us."  
  
"I heard we haven't even reached the peak of this yet."  
  
"Why am I the only one out there?" Yuuki rushed up to the counter, slapping her tray onto it. "The tips are great and all, but it seems like every man and woman out there has grown five hands. I've been felt up in places I didn't think imaginable."  
  
"We just need a breather. Ivy, you get back out there." Tsukushi shoved Sakurako back into the crowd with a full tray of drinks like a sacrificial virgin. "Go get them!" she waved, reading the slew of profanities coming out of her mouth as she walked away. "Isn't it about time for your act, Lolita?" Tsukushi swung herself over the bar and nudged Tsukasa over to try to pick up the slack.  
  
Yuuki glanced down at her watch and gasped. "I better get up there before the natives get any more restless. You coming, Rui?"  
  
Rui nodded his head and hopped over the bar, pushing his way through the crowd back on the stage.  
  
"Be careful up there. This crowd looks a little more rowdy than usual!"  
  
Yuuki waved a dismissive hand and snuck backstage to change. In a matter of minutes she was onstage dressed in a new snug leather outfit slashed in the right places that would most likely be banned as clothing in a few countries. If she moved one step the wrong way the entire thing could have fallen apart. The music slowly began pouring out from the stereo system and over the din of the room, a barely audible rendition of Britney Spear's "Toxic" fought against the clamor in the packed place. Having done the same act so many times, Yuuki danced from one side of the stage to the other, moving her body to the music.  
  
Who knew she could bend that way?  
  
The crowd seemed to quiet down a bit, to Tsukushi's relief. Although there was some nagging feeling that Tsukushi couldn't ignore. She grabbed her walkie-talkie from her hip and clicked onto Junpei's channel.  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"How's it going out there?"  
  
In between crackles in the line, Junpei's strained voice could be heard. "We've reached maximum capacity. I've told the guys to send people away now. How's it look in there?"  
  
"Pretty insane, but I think you should come in here with a few of the guys. I have a bad feeling about tonight."  
  
"Gotcha. I'll be there in a few."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"No problem, boss."  
  
For the rest of the night, Tsukushi dazzled the patrons with her bartending techniques, earning her a few major tips. With her help, Soujiro was given a little more time to help coach Tsukasa through the night since he had not yet fully adjusted to the mob scene. Yuuki sang her heart out and the crowd had calmed down quite a bit, partying and ogling to her music and body. It was turning out to be just another normal night... or so they thought.  
  
Yuuki was halfway through one of her last songs for the night, feeling like her mind was displaced from her body. It was all about just getting through the last song and knowing that they would be closing up soon. As she was about to cross the stage to the left, she felt a tug at her foot. Trying to ignore it, she pulled back, thinking perhaps her heel had gotten caught on something. To her disgust, she looked down to see a rather drunken young man grabbing at her foot. Thinking she could just slip her foot out from her shoe, she struggled to release herself from the pump. It was better to lose a shoe than anything else at the moment. Her stage smile faltered for a moment, but she was free. Much to her dismay the man decided she wouldn't get away that easily. He climbed onto the stage with the help of a few of his buddies and grabbed her around the waist, grinding his very noticeable arousal against her backside.  
  
Just smile, Yuuki. Someone will drag this loser away any second now. Play it off like it's nothing.  
  
Tsukushi looked up from the middle of pouring a martini to see Yuuki struggling to extricate herself from the inebriated man's unsolicited advances. She pulled out her walkie-talkie. "Junpei! Get on stage now!"  
  
A crack was heard in return. "We're trying to get through now."  
  
Her eyes scanned the room for any sign of help on its way, but somehow Junpei and the others had found themselves trapped on the outside of the growing mass gravitating towards the stage. After one had made his way onto the stage, more followed. It was like a pack of lions feasting on a fresh kill. Chaos ensued with fists being thrown and screams all around. Bodies were colliding into one another. Sneers and jeers from the masses egged on the random acts of violence taking on.  
  
"Somebody get out there and help break it up!"  
  
Akira, Soujiro, and Tsukasa leapt over the bar and started trying to pull people apart in what looked like a futile attempt to soothe the riot breaking out. Sakurako got in a few good punches, knocking out a few angry bitches hovering in her vicinity.  
  
The air quickly escaped the room, suffocating them all in the stench of sweat, alcohol, and pent up frustration. Bodies were everywhere, cramming into the walls, colliding with furniture, and a few unlucky enough to be trampled in the destruction. The lights above still flared in their glaringly bright array of Technicolor glory, sending sprays of iridescent beams in every which way. The faint mixture of screams mixed with sickening sinister laughter echoed in their ears, upping the intensity of the madness.  
  
Yuuki could barely stifle a scream as another hand grabbed at her. The distinct sound of a piece of loose fabric could be heard as it was torn off of her outfit. She helplessly covered her chest, trying to pull her torn shirt closed while defending herself from the lecherous looks the men on stage were giving her. Rui, Kin, Tsuyoshi, and Thomas were doing their best to fight them off, throwing them offstage. It was already too late to save their equipment that had been smashed some time ago when the chaos broke out. Now it was all a matter of trying to get out of there alive and intact.  
  
As another hand made a swipe at her, pulling her into the man's embrace, she screamed an ear piercing howl. She pounded at his chest, trying to fight him off, but he was too powerful to overcome. In annoyance he dragged her behind to the side of the stage, out away from the lights and into the darkness for a bit more privacy. He flung her down on the floor, pinning her arms down with his hands and leaning his entire weight against her stomach, making it a struggle for her to breathe. All she could hear and feel was his hot, heavy breath tickling her skin. His tongue glided against her neck, lowering itself down the valley of her breasts. She wanted to vomit at the feel of his hands riding up her skirt, tugging at her panties. Every part of her body told her to fight, to kick, to scream, but it was all in futility. She tried to kick him off with her legs, but was shocked to find something heavy holding them down.  
  
"I'm going to get my fucking money's worth," he laughed into her ear. The smell of alcohol was still fresh on his breath.  
  
"Get off of her, you bastard!" The man was thrown off of her. Her attacker was rolled off her body, falling into an unconscious heap next to her. She stared wide-eyed at his slack-jawed dead face. Somewhere in the background she could hear the echoes of bones cracking and something hard hitting the walls and floor. Soon it became quiet and only the sound of staggering footsteps approached her.  
  
"Are you okay?" the warm voice questioned. Her savior swept her up from the ground like a piece of fragile glass, scared of breaking her. He held onto her tighter, kicking and shoving his way towards the back changing room, knowing she would be safe in the locked room. Fumbling to get the door open, he ran inside, kicking the door closed behind him. He gently lowered her onto the couch and grabbed for her robe on the chair, laying it over her. He brushed the tears from her face and stroked her back, whispering soothing words into her ear.  
  
Her sobs slowly subsided at the realization that she was completely safe now. She unclenched her hands from the shirt she had soaked through with her tears and looked up. Her eyes shimmered with unwept tears ready to come out, meeting his deep pools of blue. "Thank you, Thomas," she whispered. She pulled up the robe around herself, shivering like a lost child curled up in a ball. The sound of glass smashing made her almost jump out of her position.  
  
"Shit! I better get out there and help them. You stay in here. When I leave, lock the door and don't open it unless it's one of us. Are you listening to me?"  
  
"Yes," she weakly mumbled as she watched her knight in shining armor dash back out the door.  
  
Thomas leapt into action, trying to take down as many brawlers as he could, fighting his way back onto the stage. Somehow the fighting had spread everywhere. He ran back onto the stage, helping Kin by throwing off a crazy woman hanging off his back.  
  
The crash of glass and furniture being broken made Yuuki's heart jump. She scurried up from the couch and locked the door.  
  
-----------------------------  
  
Tsukushi couldn't believe what was happening before her eyes. It would take too long for the cops to get there. She had to think of something fast. The guys didn't look like they could keep up much longer. Her hair had been torn down and hung loosely around her body with a few strands sticking to her arms and face. Sweat dripped off her body at the suffocating confinement of so many moving bodies.  
  
There was only one option to get their attention, and that was to distract all of them from their fighting and destruction. Without a second thought, she set out to work. She crouched onto the counter, and pulled out random bottles, yanking off the snifters. Not even taking a second thought, she emptied out the contents onto the counters, running from one end to the other, leaving behind thick trails of alcohol. Another set of bodies slammed into the counter, nearly knocking her over with the impact of their force.  
  
"Fuck!"  
  
Along the side, she noticed a guy nonchalantly leaning against the corner of the bar, smoking his cigarette like nothing was happening around him. He seemed to be enjoying a good smoke and a show.  
  
"Give me that"! Tsukushi screamed, yanking the smoldering abomination from his mouth. She hacked at the rather small billow of smoke surrounding him. "Don't you know these things will kill you?!"  
  
She ignored his sputtered protests, and looked up to the ceiling above her. It was a risk considering the already weighted down web of metal grid above. It was meant purely for holding the wine glasses and display, but she took the chance anyway. She flicked the lit cigarette from her hands, and jumped up in the air pulling herself up with her arms and hanging from the precarious structure. The counter below her erupted in an explosion of flames, quickly spreading over the entire surface.  
  
The crowd looked on, wondering what was the meaning of this. It was answered a few moments later when the siren blew and the sprinkler system went on. Slowly each nozzle activated, spouting down a cascade of water onto the overheated crowd. Within minutes, the occupants were doused, absolving them all of their blind destructive paths.  
  
There must be something about water or something, but people cleared out of the club faster than anything as if their lives depended on it. Was there something about getting your face pounded in that seemed far better than being soaked by a little water? Whatever it was, it worked. Suddenly the emergency exit doors were thrust open as the crowd fought to get out.  
  
In her small moment of thought, she failed to realize the extent to which the flames had ignited. The mixture of alcohol and fire refused to be extinguished by a few sprinklings of water.  
  
"Tsukushi!" Akira's voice screamed from across the room.  
  
Her arms began to ache from having to support her own weight. She did work out once in a while, but having to hold herself up for so long was beginning to take its toll. The water being sprayed in all directions didn't help much either, considering the sensation of her fingers slipping. The fall into the fire wouldn't be the thing to hurt, considering her own drenched state, but it would be the fall onto the slippery counter that would hurt. The still raging flames were quite the problem added on to her precarious situation.  
  
Just hold on a little bit longer.  
  
She gritted her teeth, fighting to stop her fingers from slipping. With each passing second, she could feel the cold wet metal clenched by her hands reject her. "Ah!" she screamed.  
  
From nowhere, she felt something hard rush up and knock her over in mid air. A pair of arms wrapped around her, pulling her out of the course of her fall, but sending them both in a horizontal collision with the mirrored back wall of the bar. Her eyes were closed the entire time, and her mind still wondered why she had not fallen into the fiery flames that raged below her moments ago. The wind was knocked out of her lungs when she bore some of the brunt of the impact with the wall smacking into her. Even though she was on the outside of the impact she could still feel the tremors flow from her savior to her at the brute force of it all. Her eyes shot open immediately when a piece of glass shot past her face, skimming the skin of her cheek. The slight wet trickle of blood began to bleed out of the minor cut. When their tangled bodies met the ground, thousand of shards of glass surrounded them.  
  
Some could have seen the image as eerily beautiful. Two bodies intertwined, lying in a bed of broken glass, reflecting the glimmers of the rainbow lights shining down on them. The mixture of the dim nightclub with the few sprinkles of bright light made the perfect scene for the very essence of what partying was all about. Life was all around them, while the main focus was their half dead expressions, erratically heaving chests, and tightly closed eyes.  
  
Tsukushi groaned as sensation of her surroundings came to her. Her head was pounding, and her body ached all over. In the distance she could hear voices screaming something, but she paid no heed to them. There was the crunching noise of feet grinding into the fallen glass. Somewhere far away, the muffled hum of sirens coming closer could be heard.  
  
The pain was too much to ignore.  
  
"Tsukushi! Tsukushi, wake up! Fuck! There's blood everywhere!" Akira's strained screams resonated.  
  
Tsukasa pushed past the frazzled man, and picked her tiny body up, moving her to another spot on the ground. "Get them off the glass!" His hands lightly patted her cheek, trying to rouse her from her half dazed stupor. "Open your eyes, Tsukushi!" Desperately, when seeing no signs of her awakening, he shook her shoulder, not caring whether or not he was following the protocol medical procedures in situations like this. His rough hands were now coated with her warm blood flowing out of a long cut down her left shoulder blade.  
  
Soujiro viciously continued pummeling any who got in his way, venting out his fury and frustration at what had happened to his friends. Images of Yuuki being mauled on stage enflamed his taste for blood more. Even though he knew the cops were on their way with their sticks and guns, he would get a bit more blood on his hands before they came.  
  
She could hear voices calling out her name, but no words would come from her mouth. It hurt. It hurt all over, and she couldn't figure out why. Her head remained in a fogged daze, trying to grasp her surroundings, but nothing seemed to connect. When she felt her body being lifted, it felt like a thousand needles being stabbed into her shoulder. The pain was unbearable, but only more so, due to the fact that she could not even vent out her pain. Her voice was out, as well as any coherency as the consuming black covered her.  
  
Tsukasa still held her in his trembling arms, trying to get any reaction out of her. He felt her breaths become shallow, which made his heart race even more. "We have to get her to a hospital," he hissed to Akira.  
  
Akira, who finally regained some of his senses, knelt down on the ground to help the other victim lying there. His body lay still on top of the broken glass, and a loud groan was heard from him.  
  
"Is he okay?!" Tsukasa urgently asked. His ear was pressed over Tsukushi's chest, listening for her heartbeat.  
  
Akira grabbed him by the shoulder, and rolled him over to reveal his face. Shock was evident at the sight of his face, and the blood trickling down it from the gash on the side of his forehead.  
  
Why would he sacrifice himself for her?  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
A/N: I'm back and so is LR! I'm busily typing away at the next few chapters and will be updating once a month again. As for "Return to Me", that will be put on a break, although I never got to write as much as I wanted (blame it on writer's block). "Introspection" will be updated every two weeks or as I hope it will be. And other random new stories will be posted sometime as well.  
  
BTW what's the deal with this new nfiction.com? Has anyone else checked this place out? It's the exact same layout as fanfiction.net. Ah well, I'm too lazy to post in multiple sites unless someone has a freaking awesome HYD site.  
  
As always review, review, and maybe review some more. 


	15. Interludes

Disclaimer: Same as always.  
  
Chapter 15: Interludes  
  
Beneath the veiled darkness, she could hear faint murmurs surrounding her. Small, lingering pricks of pain shot through her arm as she slowly bent her fingers. The weight of something attached to the back of her hand and the soft hums of a beeping machine next to her roused her from her foggy state, as some coherency began to filter into her drugged consciousness. Slowly, heavy eyelashes over closed eyelids fluttered open, letting in the dim glow of light. She instantly squinted her eyes closed, trying to reacquaint them to the seemingly overbearing brightness.  
  
"Tsukushi," a voice whispered into her ear.  
  
She recognized the voice instantly, and her head lolled to the side, in the direction of her name being called. A lazy smile crossed her lips when she pieced together what had happened last night. Her hand lifted from the side of the bed and rested on his. "Morning, sunshine," she wryly laughed.  
  
"I thought you were never going to wake up," he sighed in relief. A hint of annoyance was in his voice at the way she seemed to take his all night vigil as something funny. He pulled his hand away, and ran it through his disheveled hair. A large, heavy wrapping of bandages covered his slightly mummified metacarpal. "We've been taking turns all night, waiting for you to show some signs that you were alive."  
  
"It takes a little more than a riot to kill a tough bitch like me," she giggled. "You should know that better than anyone, Rui."  
  
"Yeah, well don't worry us again like that, okay? Shit, I had a hard enough time trying to explain to Kaya why she couldn't come to the hospital to see you just yet. Tama took her back to her place. I was planning on having her stay with me a few days until you get out of the hospital."  
  
"That's good."  
  
For moment, Rui had to do a double take at her reaction to Kaya not being able to visit her in the hospital. Aside from the IV bag's contents filtering through the tube stuck in her hand, the nurses had come in every few hours to administer a small dosage of morphine to numb the pain. It left her in a state of small moans of pain followed by relief every few hours, when the stuff wore off and more had to be given. Nothing but being doped up on the stuff could explain her laid back attitude about everything.  
  
Tsukushi barely registered what Rui was telling her. Her arm ached a bit, but there wasn't the intense pain like there was the night before. It was more like a dull tingling throb now. All in all, her body felt rather heavy and sore. She heard a few important words about Kaya staying with him and her not being able to visit, but nothing really stuck.  
  
Kaya... safe.... good...  
  
"I'm going to get a nurse in here. They told me to inform them when you woke up. I'll be right back. The others are waiting outside for you too."  
  
"Mmhmm," she contentedly sighed, snuggling deeper back under the covers. All her senses seemed to be noticeably dulled with the mysterious clear liquid being drained into her system, "You go do that." That earlier feeling of lethargy seemed to be beckoning her.  
  
"Okay..." Rui shook his head, trying to hold back the laughter. His mischievous side wanted to take the opportunity to ask a few things from her, knowing that with her hindered sense of judgment, she would agree to anything. However, he was better than that and decided to forget about it.  
  
If she ever found out that I took advantage of her, she would kill me.  
  
He padded out of the pristinely sterile hospital room in search for the nurse he had met earlier that morning during the change in shifts from the night to day shifts. With his hands dug deeply in his pockets, he took to his languid swagger.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Akira placed another card down on the table. His fingers scraped over the tops of the cards in his hand. "You're not going to win this round, you know?"  
  
"Are you that sure of you hand? From what I can see, you're down to your last tootsie roll." With a lollipop stick dangling out of his mouth and a cheeky smirk to match his mood, he patted the rather large amount of candy on his side.  
  
In return, Akira threw in the last of his sugary savings. "This is for everything."  
  
"Fine," Soujiro acquiesced. "He shoved the his entire pile into the pot calling his bluff.  
  
"I love you ladies." He kissed his hand before placing it down on the table. "Full house queens and tens." With a triumphant smile on his face, he leaned forward wrapping his hands around the pile pulling it closer to him.  
  
However, a hand stopped him. "Full house kings and aces." Soujiro slapped Akira's grubby hands away from his winnings and slammed the cards down in front of his face. "Take that, sucker."  
  
"No!" Akira's arms flailed in the air with exaggerated defeat. "I need the candy! The cruel horror of it all!"  
  
"Keep it down, will ya?" Tsukasa grumbled. His eyes were half closed in a useless attempt to get in a few minutes of sleep after enduring the sounds of Soujiro and Akira's poker game.  
  
He sat on the farther end of one of the unoccupied couches in the empty waiting room. Sakurako slept soundly beside him with her head resting neatly on his chest. She tossed a bit in her sleep, mumbling something incoherent before tugging his arm over her shoulder and snuggling in closer for more warmth. A garbled gasp sputtered from his lips, and he turned his head away trying to hide the telltale blush creeping over his cheeks.  
  
"You're just a sore loser. We cleaned you out ages ago," Akira gloated. His hand snuck to the side of the table snatching a starburst and cramming it into his mouth.  
  
Soujiro reclined in his chair, stretching out his aching muscles. He plucked the lollipop from his lips and released a long, suppressed yawn. "How long has it been already?  
  
"She's been knocked out for at least fifteen hours now." Tsukasa carefully peeled himself away from Sakurako letting her head fall on his folded jacket, making a make shift pillow. He strolled over to the windows, watching the patter of rain hit the streaked glass. "It's funny how the weather can be unpredictable. Yesterday it was like an inferno, and today it's trying to drown us all."  
  
Akira and Soujiro tossed down the rest of the deck of cards, deciding to abandon their card playing, and glanced out at the impending flood outdoors.  
  
"What can you expect? It hasn't rained in over a month." Soujiro kicked at his dripping wet umbrella beside him. His fingers brushed through his slightly damp hair. He wondered to himself what the point of running home to shower and change that morning was. The moment he stepped out the door, he was engulfed in the torrential storm that seemed to captivate the city in an apocalyptic dousing of absolving rain.  
  
"It'll only make it harder for the cleaning crews to get all that water out of the club." Akira sighed to himself. "We still have to wait for the insurance adjuster to take a look at all the damage. Right now, Last Resort is indefinitely closed. There's no way we can open up within the week."  
  
His mind was still reeling at the numbers running through his head to be paid for the cleanup of all the damage incurred the night before. The bar could pass for barely salvageable. Their entire sound system and the band's equipment were completely demolished in the fray. Rui would be mourning the loss of his piano if he knew what condition the instrument was in. Most of the furniture was trashed, as well as the floors with the flood of water. From what he saw that morning, if they didn't clean the water up any faster, it would have spread to the basement, destroying all of their inventory kept down there. The rainy day fund did live up to its name, paying off the first of the repairs that were in dire need.  
  
"I think we should hold off on telling Tsukushi about that. She has enough to worry about, with the police asking questions. Aren't they supposed to be back today to get her statement?" Tsukasa asked. His eyes remained trained on the droplets of water streaming down the windowpane.  
  
"One of them left a number to call when she woke up. They need her statement for the police report to submit to the insurance company. It won't look good for us when we try to explain how the bar caught on fire. They could see it as reckless arson. She may have cleared out the place, but at the same time, she endangered so many, too."  
  
"Which is why we won't say she did it, Jiro," Akira defensively argued. "None of us have spoken to the cops yet. We'll just say someone else did it. With the amount of damage that happened between the fire starting and them getting there, there is no real proof as to how it started. We just tell them that someone else must have started the fire. The bar was so fucking trashed there is no trace as to how it all started."  
  
Tsukasa wearily listened to Akira's plan. He agreed with him on the point that no one would probably be able to figure out how the fire had started. When he and Akira had dragged the two bodies away from the bar towards the back office, the place was still raging in the chaos consuming the place. It was only when he led the paramedics to the injured, that he saw the true consequence to the wild night. The entire metal grid above the bar had collapsed, falling onto the bar. All that was left was bits and pieces of the counter, shattered glass, and a few thick streaks of blood.  
  
What am I getting myself into? I can't get caught in this mess.  
  
"You're going to lie to the cops?! What if they find out?" Soujiro shot back. His voice was laced with disapproval of his friend's decision.  
  
"I'm second in command behind Tsukushi. Shizuka wasn't there. They can only ask Tsukushi and me about what happened since we manage the place. All we have to do is get our stories straight. We don't have any other fucking choice. You know how the government has been dying to close up a few of the clubs in the neighborhood with all that disturbing the peace shit. We'll be crucified as an example. It was a good thing that everyone who could actually talk got their asses out of the place. Everyone else they arrested was too drunk off his or her ass to be able to give a decent statement. It's our word against theirs. And if they want to avoid any charges of inciting a riot in a peaceful area, then they'll agree to shut their mouths about it." He folded his arms across his chest resolute on his plans. "We can't lose the club. Anyway none of the rest of you can get implicated if we get caught."  
  
"And what if you do?" Tsukasa asked.  
  
All those years spent learning the business didn't make him anything short of an idiot. Lying is lying, and that is what he knew. Then again, he can't say he wasn't a hypocrite when it came to the growing number of lies he had already told them.  
  
"Do you realize what could happen if they found out you guys were lying? You've got to think about the kid. Plus, there's the fact of that guy in the room a few doors down from her room. He's a witness to it all."  
  
"Oh, him," Akira derisively spat. A distinctive vehemence was apparent in his face. "We have to take care of him. I don't know why he did it, but we can't trust him."  
  
Soujiro shook his head. "He fucking saved her life, Akira. We can't assume he did it for other reasons." His logic wasn't making much of an impression, though. "You know who he is, don't you?"  
  
"His name is Aoike Kazuya," A mumbled voice finally spoke up. Sakurako rose from her laying position on the couch, and rubbed the sleep out of her bleary eyes. "We can trust the guy. Stop being such a prick. Akira. The guy did a good thing, and he's not out to get her. Well, not in the sense you're thinking."  
  
"Fine, then tell me this. Isn't it a bit too coincidental that he happened to be in the club the night when all this happened? I asked around, and Junpei said he never saw the guy before. I know for a fact that Tsukushi never tells people where she works. Sounds like the guy was stalking her or something."  
  
"You're being paranoid. Sure, a guy will go flying into a glass mirror to protect someone he wants to take advantage of," she snorted. "It happens all the time. You save their life, then fuck them over."  
  
"How do you know who that guy is?' Soujiro asked.  
  
"Well, we met him in a bookstore a few weeks ago. The guy took a few classes with her at school. It was sort of cute to see the poor idiot with an obvious crush on her. Tsukushi shot him down even though Yuuki and I told her to go for it. It was a dumb mistake, considering how loaded the guy is. His family owns the Crown Resort in Atami. I think he sincerely liked her, too. Tsukushi's always an idiot."  
  
"Oh, so now I see why you are so against him, Akira," Soujiro knowingly concluded.  
  
A figure walked into the open room, and stopped to see why exactly its occupants were having such a heated conversation. Rui remained passive in his demeanor, watching all of them automatically stand up. They all watched his face for any indication of what news he had to bring, but as always, were unable to tell. Being her watcher the entire night, he was their only source of news.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"She's awake," he curtly replied.  
  
They all moved to rush into her room at once, but Rui raised an arm, blocking the doorway.  
  
"Get out of our way, Rui," Sakurako demanded.  
  
"The doctor said only two visitors at a time. She's still a bit out of it. She may be still asleep when you get there. Those drugs knocked her out pretty good." His eyes moved from each person in the room. "Tsukasa and Sakurako, you go first."  
  
They nodded their heads and passed the doorway. Soujiro saw the look in Rui's face, understanding that he wanted to speak to Akira privately. He mumbled something about making a call to tell Yuuki about Tsukushi's condition, and brushed past the both of them.  
  
"What are you doing, Rui?" Akira asked.  
  
"I heard what you guys were discussing."  
  
"And? You're going to tell me I'm crazy, too?"  
  
He leaned against the doorframe, molding to the structure in his usual laconic manner. "No. I was wondering about that guy, too. I heard the nurses say he declined them calling anyone to come see him in the hospital. I think we should have a chat with him before we draw any conclusions."  
  
"Good cop, bad cop, huh?"  
  
"No. We just need some answers."  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
Thomas rolled over, groaning as the harsh sound of thunder in the distant sky awoke him. His eyes cracked open a bit to stare down at the hands of his watch, noting that it was about four in the afternoon already. Knowing as how it was impossible to return to work after the previous night's fiasco, he buried his head deeper into the pillow. However, the scent of something resembling a mixture of freshly laundered clothing and rain hit his noise, making it crinkle at the foreign scent?  
  
Something wasn't right.  
  
"Mmm..."  
  
A small, ruffled groan came from his side. Slowly, fingers trailed across his chest dragging lower towards his stomach.  
  
Okay, something definitely wasn't right.  
  
Slowly, he turned to his side, and his eyes widened. It was hard to contain his shock when he fell out of the bed with a dull thud.  
  
"What?!" Yuuki groaned as her body lifted off the bed to find the source of the sound. She turned to her left and caught a glimpse of a rumpled, shirtless Thomas splayed on the ground. She instantly lifted the sheet up to her chin, and her mouth fell open.  
  
"It's not what you think!" Thomas protested. He rubbed his head, fighting off the small headache that was forming. "I was the one that brought you home last night. You asked me to stay with you until you fell asleep, and I guess, I fell asleep, too."  
  
She proceeded to peek under the sheet and sighed in relief to find herself clothed in a pair of sweatpants and an old t-shirt. After the brief panic subsided within the pit of her stomach, she let the sheet drop. "Oh, okay." She tossed the sheets aside, and looked down at her arms seeing the lingering scabs of scratches on the pale skin. Her mind seemed lost in a haze not really being able to focus on more than one thing at a time. "I hope they don't leave a mark," she muttered to herself.  
  
Thomas got up from the ground and crawled across the bed to peer over her shoulder. He grasped her arm and took a close inspection of them. "They'll heal nicely. You probably won't even have any scars."  
  
She nodded her head in satisfaction, and her gaze remained away from his, facing the wall. A part of her refused to rehash the memories of how those scratches appeared on her body. However, last night was like a huge wall in front of her face refusing to be ignored. "So, what's the verdict on the club?" she whispered.  
  
He settled himself back against the large amount of pillows, resting his head against the headboard. "Akira said we would be closed for a few weeks. The damage was pretty bad."  
  
"What about Tsukushi?"  
  
"Last time I checked, she wasn't awake yet. Rui said it was just a deep cut on her left shoulder blade and a few bruised ribs. They gave her a few stitches, and there shouldn't be any problems other than that. The guy that helped her is awake and recovering nicely, too. No one's spoken to him yet."  
  
"Thank god none of us were seriously hurt."  
  
"Yuuki?' he hesitantly called out her name. "Are you okay? Last night you were...'  
  
"I'm fine," she cut him off. "Last night just brought out some bad memories. I'll be fine."  
  
He didn't want to prod her any further, but something inside of him was gnawing away at the curiosity of the strange things she was whimpering in her sleep. He decided against pressing her any further, seeing the obvious distress in her.  
  
"Okay. How about I go make us something to eat? Take a shower, and I'll come get you when the food is ready."  
  
She robotically nodded her head. "I'll be out in a few. I've got a fully stocked fridge." Yuuki smiled weakly, and brushed past him, heading towards the bathroom.  
  
Her mind went into autopilot as she turned the knobs, turning on the water to full blast. She listened for the sound of Thomas's footsteps before seating herself on the toilet. Suddenly the simple act of breathing seemed to be a daunting task. She greedily fought for a precious few gasps of air as her chest heaved. The tears would not come out. She would not scream. The time for that had come and gone long ago. Her head fell between her knees, and she rocked back and forth with her eyes closed, counting from a hundred down.  
  
"One hundred, ninety nine, ninety eight..."  
  
----------------------------------  
  
"Is this his room?"  
  
"Yeah, that's what the nurse told me." Rui extended an arm to block Akira from barging in. For once, his cool, collected manner would be imperative to this delicate matter. The last thing he needed was to let Akira ruin it by going off on him. "You need to calm down. We won't get anywhere with that look on your face."  
  
He turned his face away from Rui, knowing that the scowl was evident. The urge to protect what was his was overwhelming his better judgment. His arms shook at his sides and long, deep breaths were taken to calm his nerves.  
  
"I'm good. I can handle this."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"When it comes to my shit, I take care of it."  
  
Rui nodded his head and knocked on the door. "Just watch what you say around this guy. Last thing I need is to blow this. Shizuka is already hard pressed as it is, when the cops showed up asking her questions."  
  
"Fine," he grumbled like the big man-child he was.  
  
The door was gently pushed open as an act to avoid infringing upon its occupant's privacy, since there was no answer. Rui took the first step inside, taking note of the solitary figure lying in the bed, propped up by pillows, with his eyes closed. The room was more or less the same sanitary stark white as Tsukushi's, with the neutral tones of the chair and table beside his bed on either side. The only difference was the lack tubes attached to his body. A small machine sat beside him, humming and beeping every few seconds, measuring his heart rate and blood pressure.  
  
Akira nudged Rui forward and they both separated to the opposing sides of the bed, giving the man the once over glance. Akira rudely decided to prod at one of the buttons on the machine.  
  
"I wouldn't touch that. The nurse got pissed when I decided to see how it worked before," a deep masculine voice reprimanded him. His eyes remained closed, yet he seemed to have some kind of sixth sense to know exactly what Akira was doing.  
  
"You're awake, I see," Rui flatly stated. He pulled up one of the chairs next to the bed, and looked on at the man in the bed, bringing them at eye level.  
  
Kazuya opened his eyes and turned towards Rui and spared Akira a quick glance. "I recognize that as the guy I saw at Tsukushi's apartment building. Who are you?"  
  
"I think we are the ones who deserve to be asking the questions," Akira grunted. "Like how the hell you got into the club? Or maybe, what you want from Tsukushi?"  
  
"Akira."  
  
"No, he's right." Kazuya motioned for Akira to take a seat, but the gesture was firmly declined. He sighed to himself, resigned that he would not be winning over that one anytime soon. So, he instead focused his attention on Rui, who remained impassive in his seat. "May I at least know who you are?"  
  
"Hanazawa Rui."  
  
"Rui?" He tapped his finger on his chin, trying to remember why that name was so vaguely familiar. Realization struck him when he blurted out, "You're Kaya's father?"  
  
"What the fuck? How the hell do you know about Kaya?!"  
  
"Tsukushi told me about her daughter with him." Kazuya smirked cockily, knowing that the expression would drive Akira a bit more insane. He could tell right away that the man had no intentions of going easy on him. Therefore, he saw no point in trying to be reasonably polite to him. "She told me the day that she dropped Kaya off with her father overnight for the first time. Tsukushi was a bit distraught over it, so I took it upon myself to comfort her."  
  
Akira wasn't exactly sure what the guy was implying, but he in no way, shape, or form liked the way he said 'comfort'. His arms crossed across his chest, he resigned himself to leaning against one of the walls. A permanent scowl seemed to have etched itself on his face.  
  
"Oh wait, I shouldn't forget my manners. We haven't been formally introduced. My name is Aoike Kazuya. Nice to meet you." His eyes fell upon Akira, but he made no show of playing along with the pleasantries.  
  
"He's Mimasaka Akira," Rui answered for him. He silently observed the way that Kazuya expertly played Akira into taking his baits. The conclusion was soon made that to get any headway in the conversation, would be to act diplomatically and just get straight to the point. "We didn't mean to come barging in here to attack you or anything. It's just that Tsukushi just woke up about a half hour ago..."  
  
The news instantly made Kazuya jolt up in the bed. His face contorted in pain from the sudden movement, but the good news quickly soothed to pain. "How is she? I asked the nurse to tell me the moment she got any news."  
  
"She's fine. She needed a few stitches and some broken ribs, but more or less, she's okay. She should be getting out of here tomorrow."  
  
"Thank god. I was worried when I saw all that blood."  
  
"I'm surprised. You lost quite a bit of blood yourself."  
  
He glanced down at his bandaged right arm, seeing the faint red tinge in the white bandages wrapping from around his hand up to his elbow. He had a few cuts and scrapes on the rest of his body. A large patch of gauze had been strapped onto the side of his head, for the cut on his head. Thankfully, he didn't get a concussion. The cracked rib hurt like a bitch too, but the pain was nothing compared to the worry of whether or not Tsukushi was fine. Now that she was, the pain was beginning to come into focus. "It's nothing much. I am just glad that she wasn't seriously injured." Leaning back in the bed, he heaved a sigh of relief.  
  
"She's a bit out of it, but the doctor said a few weeks of rest and she'll be back to normal. How about you?"  
  
"They said I could leave as early as tomorrow afternoon."  
  
A pregnant pause ensued, breaking up the barrage of question and inane conversation. They all avoided the topic at hand, referring to a certain young woman a few doors down.  
  
"So, what is it you want from Tsukushi?" Akira bluntly asked. "Do you think that by doing this, she'll go out with you or something? Do you think she'll be in some way indebted to you? I don't see why a guy like you would do something like that. Seriously, what is it you want? 'Cause I can't fucking see one reason why you would do something for someone you barely know, unless you think you can scam something off of her. Just tell us the damn truth. Tsukushi never tells anyone where she works. Is it that coincidental that you happened to go to the club that night out of so many? I bet you've been watching her like some sort of fucking stalker."  
  
"Akira," Rui growled.  
  
"No!" he insolently fought back. "I want to know the fucking truth. What the fuck are you up to, 'cause I swear to god, I will beat your ass if you think you can screw with Tsukushi."  
  
"You're right."  
  
Rui's eyes visibly widened, shattering his composed exterior. He gripped the arms of the chair, replaying the words in his head, hoping he was mistaken. He wanted to give the guy the benefit of the doubt, but he swore to himself that if Akira's insane presumptions were true, he would tear the bastard limb from limb. Any threat to Tsukushi was a threat to his daughter, and that was something he could never afford.  
  
"You fucking bastard!"  
  
"Shut up, Akira!" Rui instantly snapped. He turned a cold glare on Kazuya, trying to read exactly what the hell he was doing. His hand shot out and gripped him by the neck, pushing him up against the back of the bed. The pressure forced a choked cough out of him. "I would choose my words very wisely if I were you. Why were you at the club?"  
  
His hand shot up to grip the one wrapped around his neck. All of the humor he once found in messing with the two dwindled at the apparent danger in the quiet one. "It was a fucking coincidence, okay. I decided to check out the club because one of my friends said his brother was going to have his bachelor party there. I heard that the place was the shit, so I decided to go check it out with a few of them. I swear, on my mother, that it was the first time I ever set foot in Last Resort. If you don't believe me then maybe you will recognize the name, Yasunaga Hiro. He's planning his bachelor party a month from now."  
  
"Is this right?"  
  
"As much as I would love to watch you hold him like that for a bit longer, he's right. Hiro was a friend of Susumu's and is still in touch with Junpei. Is that how you got into the club?"  
  
"Yeah. Hiro's brother, Ryo, got us in on the list. I followed the group inside. I didn't even know Tsukushi worked there until I noticed her serving some drinks across the room. The place was so packed that I didn't even get a chance to talk to her."  
  
The grip Rui held on Kazuya's neck slackened a bit. The deadly glint in his eyes flickered to a mere simmer, but his intent still lay beneath the unspoken connection between the two. "So, you decided to play the stupid hero, huh?" His patience had completely waned. Slowly, he removed his hand, allowing a large gasp of air to be inhaled.  
  
Kazuya reached for his neck, knowing that when he checked after, the imprint of his hand would still be there as a reminder. "I did. My friends took off as soon as the first punch was thrown. We've been to too many parties to know that the cops bust anyone and everyone once a fight breaks out. I was about to bolt too, but then I saw her hanging over the damn bar. I thought she was fucking crazy to be there. Why should she risk her life for a fucking job? I never realized she needed to work in such a sleazy place to pay for her kid."  
  
Akira snorted, breaking out into a caustic laugh. "Someone buy this guy a clue."  
  
"Before we tell you this, we need to know something."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Did the cops come to get your statement yet?"  
  
"Yeah, they did," he quickly answered. His hand rubbed his neck, trying to ease the stiffness Rui had left with his tight hold. "I told them what happened."  
  
"Oh, fuck!" Akira groaned. He slapped his palm against his forehead, shaking his head. "Did you tell them exactly what happened?"  
  
Kazuya looked confused as to what the big deal was, with telling the police the truth as to what had happened the night before. "Of course, I told them the truth. I just told them that Tsukushi was hanging over the bar, about to fall onto the burning bar, but I jumped over it to push her out of the way. I explained how we crashed into the glass mirror, and that was why we got banged up."  
  
"Wait," Rui interjected. "Did they ask you how the fire started?"  
  
"They did, but I couldn't tell them how. I didn't notice the fire until I saw the flames go up. With everyone running around like maniacs, I wasn't really focused on what was going on near the bar. I was more concerned about getting the hell out of there in one piece."  
  
"Perfect. This is fucking great news, Rui." Akira instantly perked up, after affirming what he needed to hear the most at the moment. He broke out in what resembled a maniacal laughter. "We didn't even need to come in here to talk to him." He turned his gaze towards Kazuya, wiping away the permanent frown that had once adorned his face. "Sorry to bother you then. Thanks for taking care of Tsukushi and all, but I guess now that everything's settled, we'll be going." And like that, he was out the door, whistling a happy tune to himself without a care in the world.  
  
However, Rui wasn't as dense as Akira chose to be. He sat back into the hard armchair beside the bed, and pointedly stared at Kazuya, never breaking eye contact. "So, what did you really tell them?"  
  
Kazuya shook his head, inwardly laughing at how right he was about the two men. One was obviously too easily willing to be deceived, but he knew better than to second guess the man who had ever possessed the heart of a woman like Tsukushi. A gut instinct told him that the guy had to be something incredible.  
  
"I told them that load of bullshit I just told your friend there. I'm not fucking stupid enough to tell them the truth, knowing full well that they would be pressing charges like arson against Tsukushi. That fire wasn't an accident. For someone with enough problems like Tsukushi, she looked like she needed a favor, even if it was an illegal one."  
  
"Thanks. You're doing us a big favor."  
  
"What I don't understand is, why she would risk her life for a damn club. I wouldn't risk it all for a stupid job."  
  
"It's not just a job to her, okay," Rui interjected. "Tsukushi owns Last Resort. If the place went down, she would have nothing. You've already met the girls, but there are a few more of us that depend on that place. Tsukushi wasn't only saving the club; she was trying to save all of us."  
  
"Oh," he so eloquently uttered in response.  
  
Rui leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I think I might have told you more than I should have, but let's just get one thing straight. I'm not making any judgments like Akira and the rest of them. All I know is that you saved the mother of my baby, and I have that to be grateful to you." The small smile that crossed his lips faded with the lowering of his voice into a harsh whisper. "But, don't think that I won't be keeping an eye on you. Anyone who fucks with Tsukushi affects Kaya, and I sure as hell won't stand by and let that happen. So for now, I won't stand in your way if you have any real intentions for Tsukushi, but if you step out of line, I will be down on your ass so fast you'll be shitting in your pants. Akira might not scare you, but there are a few more guys like me who will kill the shithead who hurts Tsukushi."  
  
And with that said, Rui straightened himself out, as he rose from his seat with the same rigid regality of someone of his disposition. He neither bothered with the civilities of a curt goodbye, nor even the courtesy of a wave of his hand. When all is said and done, the message is the same.  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
"I don't think you should have done that?"  
  
"Why? I don't think they will even notice that a few flowers are missing. Besides, we might as well cheer up this place a bit. I hate the smell and sight of hospital rooms. It brings back too many bad memories."  
  
"But still... It's a bit morbid to take some dead guy's flowers," Tsukasa argued. His voice lingered on a bit of disapproval. "We could have just gone to the gift shop downstairs."  
  
"Psh! Did you see the prices they're charging? If they don't kill you up here, they'll kill you with the prices down there."  
  
"Whatever. I give up trying to argue with you."  
  
"What trouble have you two gotten into now?" a groggy voice asked from the bed.  
  
"Tsukushi!" Sakurako squealed. She instantly shoved the mangled bunch of flowers into Tsukasa's hands and jumped over to the side of the bed. "Wow! You look like shit."  
  
A small laugh fell from her lips, but was soon followed by a pained look from the protesting of her insides. When the small pangs subsided, she weakly smiled. "Ya know, coming from anyone else, I would think be insulted."  
  
"Well, it's a good thing I brought my makeup bag with me. There are some hot doctors here, and we all know you want to look your best when an MD is around." Ignoring the look of disbelief on Tsukushi's face, Sakurako set to work hitting the button on the bed elevating the incline.  
  
Tsukushi felt the slow rumble of the bed beneath her begin to shift, and she nestled herself deeper into the covers, knowing it was useless to protest to Sakurako's obsessive need to groom her. She knew that it was only Sakurako doing what she could to try to lighten the situation. Slowly, her body eased at the light stroked of Sakurako's nimble fingers combing through her hair, massaging her scalp. A contented moan fell from her lips.  
  
"So, how are you feeling?" Sakurako whispered into her ear.  
  
"Better now. How about the others? Is everyone else okay?"  
  
Sakurako's hands stilled for a moment before they set out to work through the mass of hair in her hands. "Thomas took Yuuki home. She was pretty shaken after everything. We found her locked up in the dressing room by herself." She paused, but continued to comb through the hair absorbed in her own actions. "She wouldn't stop mumbling to herself. It was like she was lost in her own world. I just spoke to Thomas a while ago after you woke up. Yuuki was exhausted and passed out last night. She seems okay, but she's a bit off."  
  
Tsukushi placed a hand on the red head's knee. "I'll talk to her when she comes."  
  
"I think that'll be the best for her."  
  
"So, what about the club? I cringe to think about how bad it might be."  
  
"Shizuka is down there overseeing things. Junpei, Kin, and Tsuyoshi offered to monitor the clean up, too. It's pretty damn bad, though."  
  
"Just tell it to me straight."  
  
Another person entered the room, interrupting Sakurako. "All of the sound equipment is shot to hell. None of the tables, chairs, and pretty much any furniture were salvageable. The water mixed with the rain flooded the ground floor, so even after we clear all of that out, we'll still need to redo the floors. The bar is basically ashes."  
  
"And how are you today, Akira?" The small lilt in her tone teased Akira as he entered the room, choosing to splay himself beside her on the bed.  
  
He nuzzled against her side with the utmost care, making sure to not cause her anymore discomfort, much like a dog would, having returned faithfully to its master. He crinkled his nose in disgust at the smell of the sterile hospital room, resembling that of bleach and ammonia. "I'm just peachy."  
  
"That's good, 'cause you know you'll be busy the next few days while I rest up."  
  
"What?!" he cried in horror. "I have to take care of things on my own? What about you?"  
  
She shook her head. "I need at least a week of bed rest. It's doctor's orders. It'll be okay," she sighed. "You'll do just fine. If you need any help just come over and we'll go over the progress reports."  
  
"Stop whining, Akira. You know you could fix the place up in a week with enough motivation," Sakurako scolded. She finished tying the ribbon into a perfect bow, pushing the long braid she had created over Tsukushi's shoulder. "All done."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"No problem."  
  
Her attention turned towards Tsukasa, who shifted from one foot to the other, noticeably acting like a lost little boy. "You can put the flowers down, Tsukasa. Come sit over here." She shoved Akira to move a bit, making room at the corner of the already full and narrow bed. Trying to make a sad attempt at humor, she jokingly teased him. "I warned you ahead of time that working for me wouldn't be easy. I never thought I would be such a heavy bleeder. Don't look like someone killed a puppy. I'm fine."  
  
"You shouldn't have done something so damn stupid," he grunted. His voice rose a bit, revealing the small bit of contempt he held for her at the moment.  
  
Akira and Sakurako knew right away to remove themselves from the bed; They carefully tiptoed their way towards the door.  
  
"Umm...I think I'll go downstairs and grab us some edible food."  
  
"Good idea. I'll go with you."  
  
Tsukushi didn't bother and care much for whatever they said. All she could see was the very irate, curly-haired man glowering at her like she had committed some heinous crime. "It wasn't stupid. Someone had to do something. I don't understand why you are so pissed."  
  
He wrung his hands, trying to fight the urge to scream, but the pent up aggression was building in him. Ever since he was a child, his temper always got the better of his emotions. "Did you know how scared out of our minds we were when we saw you fall?!" The volume of his voice rose by a few notches. "I don't care that you got lucky this one time. It was fucking dangerous what you did. What would you have done if that guy hadn't pushed you out of the way of the fire, huh? What would you have done if Akira and me hadn't dragged you away from the bar before it collapsed."  
  
"But nothing bad happened. I'm fine."  
  
"That's the fucking problem!" he bellowed. "You act like none of this was a big deal!?! Don't you see the bigger picture?"  
  
She shook her head in disbelief that he would be the one to lecture her on being responsible. Maybe from Rui or Tama she expected this speech, but never from him of all people. Listening to his rant made her blood boil. Usually when she was being lectured, she brushed it aside like it was nothing, but hearing the words of reproach come from him unnerved something in her.  
  
"I see the big picture, okay?! You don't think I was fucking scared when the fight broke out? You don't think I know how fucking scary it was what I did? But you know what, I would do it again. That club is my life! If I didn't do something to save the place, it would have went down and everyone else with it. In this kind of life, someone has always had to make the sacrifices. No one else stepped up, so I did."  
  
He abruptly shot up from the bed and began pacing furiously around the room. "It's just a damn club! You should have waited for the cops. Do you know what kind of deep shit you've gotten yourself into? Akira is talking about lying to the cops. There's some strange guy lying in a hospital bed after saving your ass last night. God, I can't even begin to tell you how it felt to carry you with all that blood coming out of you."  
  
"It's not like it's the first time we've covered something up," she vehemently spat back.  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"We laugh, and we make work seem like fun and games, Tsukasa; but have you ever wondered how we manage to pull everything off?" A disheartened and almost mocking laugh rumbled from her chest. Her fingers played with the worn edges of the standard hospital issue sheets. "We've all done a few things that we probably shouldn't have, but you have to understand. Family helps each other out. We live and we die for each other. And to do that, we've done some things we aren't proud of."  
  
"I don't think I even want to know. I can't get involved in this shit," he mumbled to himself.  
  
Her features softened, and the fierceness in her died out, leaving in its wake a calm, composed aura. She just didn't feel like arguing over something that he couldn't really understand. "You can leave any time you want. If you walked out that door right now, and never came back, none of us would blame you. We know as little about you as you do about us. What I'm offering you is a safe haven. Whatever it is you are running away from, know that we'll back you up as long as you back us up. Do you understand?"  
  
He nodded his head, and slumped down on the edge of the bed. He could hear the faint rustle of the sheets and feel the shift in the mattress as she leaned over. Her chin rested firmly on his shoulder. Her soft breaths tickled his ear.  
  
"I think I do."  
  
"I'm sorry for scaring you."  
  
"Just be careful next time. You've got to think about the kid."  
  
"The kid would be fine without me," she half-heartedly replied. Her anger subsided from a boiling fury to a simmering annoyance. "Relax and just lay here with me. Since Akira and Sakurako decided to run off, there's no one to keep me company. I can't sleep in strange places."  
  
He agreed, and leaned back into the bed, slipping himself to lie rigidly on the edge of the bed, hoping to leave her as comfortable as possible. Her incessant shifting ceased after a few moments when she decided to pull his arm around her shoulder and rest her head against his chest. The steady, rhythmic beating of his heart left her feeling a bit more secure of her surroundings.  
  
"All you have to do is trust people some time, Tsukasa," she sleepily mumbled into his chest. "All I ask for is a little faith in me."  
  
He closed his eyes momentarily, sinking into the pleasant feeling of her warmth. There was something so indescribably calming about this woman that he had yet to figure out. One moment, she could tear apart his insides with worry. The next, she could ease away all his fears with her mere presence. It was something he hadn't felt in a long time, a bit reminiscent of the turbulent emotions only his sister was able to evoke of him. The inkling of a bond he felt compelled him to want to stay, whether it is to his detriment or not.  
  
"Do you still not trust me?"  
  
"I don't know. It's more like I don't trust myself to stay out of trouble. How about you? You're willing to trust someone you barely know?"  
  
"That's my greatest flaw, I suppose. I still have too much faith in people, good or bad. Everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt, until proven otherwise."  
  
"It's an idealistic approach."  
  
"If you stay with us, you might find what you're looking for. Sometimes fate hands you something and it's up to you to decide to take it for what it is, or for what it isn't."  
  
"Maybe. I guess I'll just have to stay to figure out what it is."  
  
---------------------------------------  
  
Thomas sat hunched over the kitchen table, furiously scribbling away on a piece of paper he had probably stolen from the note pad that Yuuki recalled keeping next to the phone for taking messages. She smiled briefly to herself, thinking how cute he looked furiously scribbling away. The scratching of the pen hitting the piece of paper on the table resonated in the room, breaking the peaceful silence. Every few minutes, he would stop to tap the pen against the table, forming some kind of beat, and then return to jotting down whatever it was that seemed so important. His bowl of cereal lay half eaten and forgotten. From the looks of it, his Frosted Flakes were now a puddle of soggy mush floating in the sugared milk.  
  
"What are you doing?" she innocently inquired, taking a seat across from him.  
  
His body jolted a bit, reacting to the sudden intrusion. His left hand firmly planted itself over the paper, covering whatever it was he had written. "Nothing."  
  
Yuuki lifted an eyebrow, not buying his story for a moment. "I don't think that was nothing. So, what is it? Actually, when I come to think of it, I see you scribbling down things a lot when no one is looking. What is it that you are so adamantly scratching away at, Mr. McKay?"  
  
He decided to turn the tables on her, seeing as how she had suddenly taken a drastic change in moods. "Well, what do I get if I show you what I've been working on?"  
  
She delicately tapped her finger on her bottom lip in great concentration. "I don't know. You pick."  
  
"You know that's a dangerous offer to make."  
  
"Not really. You're too much of a boy scout to do anything bad. You're a lot of talk, but little action."  
  
"Sadly enough, you're right. I blame my mother for trying to instill those good values in me. I'm bound by the code to be a proper young gentleman." He leaned back in his chair, sheepishly raking through his tousled hair. "Oh, I have some good news." His quick thinking thought of a nice change of topic to steer her away. "Tsukushi just woke up about an hour ago. They said she's up and talking now. We should head over there after we finish breakfast."  
  
Her eyes fell upon the digital clock on the stove behind him, and she giggled. "I think breakfast passed a long while ago. Maybe we should have cooked some dinner. It's almost five now."  
  
"Hey, the day doesn't begin until you have breakfast," he countered. "It is the most important meal of the day."  
  
She raised her elbows to the edge of the table, and her chin fell to rest on her hands. "You still didn't tell me what it was you were writing. Although it was a good attempt to change topics."  
  
"I have to remember who I'm dealing with." He looked expectantly up at her with a newfound shyness. "You promise you won't tell anyone about this? I mean, no one knows about this except for maybe Tsukushi. Every once in awhile, she helps me out when I'm stuck." He waited for her sign of agreement to his request before sliding the paper over.  
  
When Yuuki looked down, none of the scribbled words, symbols, or marks made much sense to her. Her English had always been above average with the help of Tsukushi, but it was just enough to get through a simple conversation or song. Most of the time, the girls had to run to Thomas, Tsukushi, or even Rui for help in deciphering the words to the English songs that were the most requested in the club. Due to Thomas's influence in the musical arrangements, their club had notoriety as playing a majority of eclectic sounds from American pop culture. Looking down at the hastily scribbled words, she could make out a few of them. The main focus of the paper, however, was on the neatly etched musical bars and staffs. Notes danced on the paper, forming some sort of melody that her untrained musical prowess could not fathom.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"It's a song I've been working on lately. Actually, it's more like one of the many songs I've been working on over the years."  
  
"Could you play it for me one day?" she asked hopefully.  
  
Her curiosity got the better of her, hoping to be able to take the many markings transcribed, turning them into the wonderful sounds that Thomas was so well known for. She knew that Thomas' pride was all focused on music. Anything that had to do with music was as if it had been touched by the hands of a god. It was a well-known fact among them that Rui and Thomas were the two reasons for the club's success. Although they were both trained differently, Thomas self-taught and Rui classically trained, the combination was a powerhouse.  
  
Thomas awkwardly grinned. "You wouldn't want to hear it anyway. Everything I've got so far is really rough. Trust me, I'm doing you a favor by not letting you hear some of the messes I've composed."  
  
"How long have you been doing this? I mean, writing music. You've never even mentioned this to anyone."  
  
He nervously looked away like some dark heinous secret about him was moments away from being revealed. "I've been writing ever since Susumu died, I suppose. I needed something to fill my free time. When he was alive, it was always fun and games, screwing the days away doing dumb shit, but then after he was gone, everyone sort of fell out of place. I mean, we'll always be tight, but not like before. I tried taking on more classes during the day, but it just wasn't enough. It sounds silly and all, but I never intended to stay in Japan so long. I once had aspirations for something greater than this, better than just being one of the top local deejays. I didn't want to just play and mix music. For once, I realized I wanted more. Haven't you ever thought about life after Last Resort."  
  
"I don't know." She shook her head. "I've always just worried about today rather than tomorrow. I've never thought much of life after this. I've always been content where I am."  
  
A frown marred his perfect features as he absorbed her admission. There was a hint of something ever so slight as pity in what he felt towards her. I mean, who was he to judge her own aspirations against his own, but much like everyone else, he always considered Last Resort as a temporary stay. The notion of staying forever was ludicrous. At some point, they all had to grow up and leave the safe haven they had built.  
  
"Is it really that bad that I've never thought about what I would do outside of the club?" she sheepishly asked. She despondently played with her spoon on the table, twirling it between her fingers.  
  
"You must have something else in life that you've always wanted."  
  
"What do you think a girl like me would want?"  
  
"I dunno. You seem the type who deserved the house with the white picket fence, the husband coming home every day from his nine to five job, and the two kids running in the yard chasing after the dog."  
  
"Sounds like a nice little dream, but I'm not really sure I could imagine Jiro as the nine to fiver type of guy."  
  
"Who ever said anything about it being him?"  
  
"That's besides the point. I want to hear more about this music your writing." She quickly averted the topic to something she was more comfortable with. "You promise you'll play something for me one day?"  
  
"Only if you sing."  
  
"It's a deal then." She hesitantly stirred her spoon playing with the few pieces of cereal bobbing up and down in the milk. Her eyes lingered on the pattering of rain pelting the windows with such ferocity. Unconsciously her body shuddered in realization of the slight chill in the room. All were just more reminders of the cruel harsh world outside of the comfort of her home. "Do you think Tsukushi would hate me terribly for not going to see her right away?" she weakly asked keeping her eyes trained out the window. The dancing shadows of the branches of the tree outside her window scratched against the side of the house with a grating sound.  
  
His head lifted from his writings with eyes peeking out under sandy blonde bangs. His pen fell to the table with a dull thud. For a few moments silence reigned as he stared at her with his head cocked to the side in a contemplative manner. His chin playfully rested in his chin until finally he lightly slammed both palms flat down onto the table. He leaned over the table stopping his faces inches from Yuuki's. Yuuki dumbly stared back with her lips slightly parted. With one push forward he let his forehead rest against hers, and their noses touched. "Have you ever listened to the rain?" he asked with such ease and surety as if he were inquiring for the time.  
  
"No."  
  
His hand grabbed hers, and he rose from his seat pulling her out of her own. Spotting a small throw blanket draped on the back of the couch he lead her into the living room and took the newfound time in his other free hand. With a firm grip, he pulled her to one of the armchair taking the seat himself and pulling her onto his lap. The blanket was thrown over them cocooning them in a small tent. His head fell backwards and his grip tightened around her waist as an unspoken signal for her to relax her body. She did as he instructed leaning her entire being into him huddling into his lap much like a little child tucking her head beneath his chin. She could hear the faint flutter of his heartbeat beneath his shirt.  
  
"Close your eyes," he calmly whispered. A small smile graced his lips. "Can you hear it?"  
  
Her eyebrows furrowed in frustration as her mind tried to process exactly what he was trying to do. "What am I supposed to be hearing?"  
  
"You're not trying hard enough. Close our eyes and shut off the rest of your senses. Don't think about it. Just listen." He grabbed her small hand and placed it over her chest where her heart lay. It beat furiously in her chest.  
  
Slowly, she did as he told letting her mind go free of any thoughts. She settled her head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat mixed with the rhythm of the splattering rain against the window. Ever so gently her heartbeat fell into the same rhythm of the other two sounds joining in the synchronous melody. Suddenly she could hear so perfectly what Thomas was telling her to hear or what she thought it was.  
  
"I used to do this a lot when I was a kid. My mother would always hold me like this and make me listen to the rain when I was scared to go outside 'cause of the thunderstorms. She said the world seems less scary when you stop thinking and just feel. Since then I always stop to listen to the rain during the really bad rainstorms. It always makes me feel better than the gloomy weather. It puts everything into perspective everything outside isn't scary, but can be beautiful as well. It sounds crazy, doesn't it?"  
  
"No it doesn't." She shook her head violently disagreeing with him. "It's perfect."  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
Rui heaved another groan as he struggled with the car door, trying to shut it while carrying a five year old in his arms. The struggle was quickly ended when he managed to use his foot to kick the door close. The day had been rather busy for Kaya, seeing as how she expended most of her energy exhausting Tama. She was left a little more than discontented at being dropped off with her babysitter while being left in the dark about her mother's whereabouts. To make up for her frustration, she took it out on the poor elderly woman until they both fell asleep on the couch in exhausted heaps. Tama was more than willing to get home to her own bed when he had arrived.  
  
And so, he was privileged with a few moments of peace with his daughter sleeping in the backseat of the car while he drove them to the club to check up on his fiancée. The distressed call from Shizuka only added to his heavy burden at the moment, with Tsukushi out of commission.  
  
He bypassed the few figures walking in and out of the building towing a heavy hose, which was probably used to siphon out the flood on the dance floor. At the moment, the weather decided to be merciful, halting its stormy onslaught for a mere drizzling. The crack of thunder above warned of an impending break in the armistice.  
  
His eyes slowly adjusted to the dim lighting of the interior, and he scanned the area for Shizuka, only to come up empty. However, Junpei, Kin, And Tsuyoshi were already knee deep in charred wires that formerly were imperative to their sound system. Kin slowly traced the wires, jotting down a few things here and there in his notebook after which Tsuyoshi would make an assessment to the damage. Junpei had taken it upon himself to aid in the hauling of the debris.  
  
"Hey, Rui!" Junpei yelled from across the room.  
  
Rui raised a finger to his lips, shushing him from any further yelling. He shifted the bundle in his arms, turning her over to rest her head on his shoulder and stalked over to the damaged stage. His eyes lingered on the large crack that streaked down the center of his beloved imported Steinway. As a man and music aficionado, he wanted to cry for the poor piano's demise.  
  
"How's it going?"  
  
"Not so good," Tsuyoshi sighed, adjusting the wire-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose. His foot kicked the burnt wires on the ground. "We were only able to salvage a few parts of the drums or whatever wasn't kicked in. All of our instruments are scrap wood. The speakers and the amps are dead, too."  
  
"So we basically have nothing."  
  
"Well, we did manage to save Thomas' tables. Jack that puppy up with a few speakers, which we could run around the room." His hand waved through the air, reflecting the perfectly mapped out designs in his head. "I've got my other bass I could use. We all know that Thomas has another guitar. I've already called in a few favors to hook Kin up with some drums. The piano is a problem, though. We both know that it took us a year before you settled on that Steinway and the amount of time and cost to have another shipped over will take too long."  
  
"I can settle for the keyboard for now. If worse comes to worse, we'll just have a few nights of Thomas spinning instead of the live band. I don't even know when we'll be opening up. Tsukushi just woke up this afternoon, so until she's out, the club is closed until further notice. Just keep tallying up the damage and give me the breakdown before you leave. I've got to see Shizuka."  
  
"Okay, man." Tsuyoshi patted Rui on the back and returned to his survey of damage. "Let's hurry up, Kin. I wanted to go stop over at the hospital to check up on Tsukushi."  
  
Rui turned around, stalking towards the office where he recalled seeing Shizuka slip into a few minutes ago. His arms began to tremble a bit from the weight of Kaya in his arms. Using his foot, he kicked the door open. The door let out a long wailing groan as he took in the sight of his fiancée scrutinizing papers scattered on the desk. She looked up and a slow smile crossed her lips. She nodded towards the couch, directing him to put down the sleeping girl. The moment he did so, she rushed over and wrapped her arms around him from behind, resting her head on his shoulder.  
  
"God, I've been wanting to do this all day," she groaned into his shoulder. Her voice was slightly muffled by her mouth pressed against his back. "I was never really cut out to do this kind of thing. That's why I let Tsukushi take care of managing the place."  
  
He spun around, resting his hands on her hips, pulling her closer into him. His forehead tilted down to rest against hers. Playfully, he shifted his head, kissing her on the nose. "It'll be okay. Tsukushi's letting Akira take over from you. She never even mentioned leaving you to handle all of this. As hard as it is to believe, Akira has become quite good with the managing side of the business."  
  
"When can he come in?" she laughed. "I don't know half of the stuff these contractors are talking about. I couldn't even tell them where the main water valve to shut off the sprinkler system was. They spent an hour alone trying to trace the pipes to the main source." Shizuka arched her back into him, hearing the small little cracks in her vertebrae from the soreness in it. "I've been here since five this morning on one cup of coffee after finishing up a long night recording in the studio."  
  
His hands went to work on her shoulder, kneading the intricate sets of knots embedded within them. Taking her hand, he led her to the unoccupied section of the couch. The large blanket that he had taken from his car to cover Kaya with was pulled a bit to cover Shizuka. With a light kiss on her forehead, he tucked her in. "Get some sleep. I'll take over for now, until the clean up crew finishes."  
  
"Thank you, Rui," she yawned. Her voice fell into a raspy whisper as she drifted off into the land of slumber where Kaya was already running rampant. Soon her soft snores echoed through the room.  
  
He stood there in awe for a few moments, at the sight of the two most important girls in his life. They both slept ever so peacefully, unaware to what was going on in the world. Kaya was completely knocked out from her long day, and so was Shizuka.  
  
Nothing in my life could be more perfect with them in it. I don't know what I would do if anything bad ever happened to them. I would lose it all, my mind, my body, and my soul. They're all I'll ever need.  
  
It was times like this that he cherished the most, seeing them in their complete unawareness. When it was just him and them, everything seemed right. He sighed heavily, turning his head around to give a quick once over on how the clean up crew was doing. From the looks of things, Shizuka would get a few hours of sleep in. It didn't matter much to him, though. It would probably be the most peace and quiet he had gotten in the last few hours after running around checking up on Tsukushi in the hospital. Closing his eyes and clearing his thoughts, he closed the door behind him, releasing that heaviness in his heart and the breath he had been holding the entire time.  
  
---------------------------  
  
It was late into the night and the halls were empty except for the few night nurses making their rounds to check up on the inpatients. He popped his head out of doorway sneaking a glance down the hall to see if there was anyone patrolling his corridor. He recalled hearing her room number repeating it over and over again in his head intent on finding her. He had already watched silently as the last of her friends departed from her room at the call for all visitors to vacate at the end of the designated hours. During the time in between waiting for them to leave he had busied himself thinking over the question that plagued him as much as it did her friends.  
  
Why did he do it?  
  
He shook his head at the thought that it was all for some personal gain, perhaps to finally break into her good graces convincing her he was not the mad stalker that he knew he probably had originally come off across as. The faint traces of memories of their last encounter ran through his mind replaying his own impetuous idiocy of pushing her so hard. It was just too damn frustrating for him, too painful of how close she hit close to home in the similarities.  
  
However, now wasn't the time to be thinking of such things. Now was a time to act and to make reparations for his attack on her personal choices. He wanted to believe his act as a good Samaritan stopped at that place alone, but there was always that underlying voice in his head that spoke of more, of desire.  
  
"Now's the time to do it," he heartily cheered himself on. His hand rested on the doorknob of the closed door. Silently he wondered to himself if the jelly like feeling in his legs was due to his head trauma or the anxiety of seeing her. He wasn't even sure if she knew he was in the hospital or whether or not she would recall his rescue at all. He chose to take the risk and wander into her room, for better or worse the outcome.  
  
She lay awake in bed staring at the small beams of shadowed light racing back and forth on the ceiling. It was upon the overly fussy nurse that the others were forced to leave. Akira had offered to stay and keep her company, but his offer had been turned away with the excuse of the patient needing rest. Now laying in the utter silence of her hospital room, Tsukushi could just lay there blankly watching with slight interest the dim lights dancing across the white spotted ceiling.  
  
The small creak of the door opening caught her attention forcing her to roll her head to the side to see who her late night visitor could be. Her eyes widened in recognition and a feeling akin to dread fell to the pit of her stomach. She wished for a second she still had some of those very soothing painkillers running through her system to get her through this confrontation. The decision she had come to seemed like something an insane person would choose. She hoped she would not regret her choice.  
  
"Hi," he whispered from the dimly lit hallway. He suddenly felt stupid with his lack of eloquence only finding some stupid monosyllabic greeting to fill the awkward silence.  
  
"I was wondering when you would come and see me, Kazuya," she breathed. She struggled to lift herself up on her arms to sit up in her bed. With a small bit of mirth in her eyes, she motioned for him to come in. She would face their conversation head on.  
  
He entered her room slowly with a bit of trepidation as if he were impinging some sort of rule by entering. Seating himself in the chair beside her bed he smiled boyishly. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"I'm good. I'd probably be a lot worse if it hadn't been for you. I think a thank you is in order for what you did for me."  
  
"It was nothing," he blushed. He hoped that she would not see the not so masculine tinge of crimson paint his cheeks. "I'm just glad that you're alright. I couldn't sleep not knowing whether or not you were really okay."  
  
"It's a nice thought," she replied in a tone marked only by indifference. Her entire demeanor seemed to be oddly serene with an obvious change with the large degree of fatigue. She tired was tired of a lot of things in general. Seeing Kazuya was just another chore added onto her list of things to take care of. " I thought I wouldn't see you again after your little outburst."  
  
"I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to pressure or criticize you like that."  
  
"It's okay. I've been told much worse things in my life. In the end, the message is always the same. Why can't I just suck it up like an adult and move on?" Her head jerked to the side to completely face him dead on locking their eyes. "To everyone else, it looks like I'm holding onto to something that was lost a long time ago. It's funny the way things look from the outside. Just because I don't decide to drastically run out in search of a man, change my career, and start living a life that I supposedly should have doesn't mean that I haven't tried. You think you know me, but you don't."  
  
"I see someone waiting for that tide to come in that will change her life."  
  
The grim expression on her face faltered. "You've got me there. And do you think you have some key role in this change I should take?"  
  
"I've already told you. I still harbor some romantic feelings for you, but I'm willing to settle being your friend. Why do you refuse to even let me be close to you in the capacity of friendship? What did I do to make you refuse such a simple offer?"  
  
"Can I ask you something? I want you to answer me in all honesty?"  
  
"Fine." He nodded eagerly hoping he had made some leeway in the conversation.  
  
"Why did you help me?"  
  
He swallowed that lump in his throat. His hand fumbled in his lap as he thought of a good answer to her question. It seemed as if everything hung on the balance of the simple inquiry. "I really don't know. I can't be completely honest to say I did it out of purely good intentions. In some aspects, I selfishly hoped that if I saved you, you would see as more than that weird stalker from school. Maybe I hoped you would see me as your knight in shining armor to rescue you. All in all, I guess, what I hoped was that if I saved you from death you might reconsider that date with me."  
  
Her lighthearted laughter filled his ears. They fit of giggles refused to stop as they poured from her lips.  
  
"You're a funny little man."  
  
He sat there open mouthed trying to figure out what had just transpired. One minute, she was ready to toss him out of her room, and the next she's laughing in his face. "What's going on here?"  
  
"I think it may be the lingering drugs in my system, but I think I can't take much more of this. I give up trying to get rid of you. I've tried to find reasons to not want to be in contact with you, but something just keeps bringing you back. I think it might be some sick twist of fate or a sign from someone up there. Nothing seems to drive you away."  
  
"My mother always said I was a persistent sucker."  
  
"You are certainly are one. I guess it's too late to try to dissuade you from wanting to be around me. You know too much. It's either we become friends or I kill you. The latter is a bit too messy for my taste."  
  
His eyes lit up at the surrendering of her defenses. "So, are we friends?"  
  
She put out her hand for him to shake. "Friends."  
  
He kept his hand grasped firmly over hers, and smiled to himself. "Do you think we could move on to something more than that in the future?"  
  
"Don't push your luck."  
  
"I can settle for that. But I have one question. Same rules apply. I want full disclosure."  
  
"Go ahead." She folded her arms over her chest awaiting his all so important question.  
  
"Why did you change your mind about me?"  
  
Tsuksuhi sighed, and laid her head back onto her pillow. "I guess the biggest reason, which I know I will live to regret admitting is that you got under my skin. You confuse and amuse me at the same time in that good and not so good way. I've never met someone quite like you."  
  
"I can accept that."  
  
"I'm happy my answer is acceptable," she mockingly agreed.  
  
"One more question. I saved your life. That's a very big deal. So, can I at least have one date for that?"  
  
"You're not going to give up are you?" She exclaimed in exasperation.  
  
"Not when I'm willing to risk everything for what I want."  
  
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Okay, I have no idea what this chapter is for. I'm just biding my time until I actually find a good place to jumpstart some plot. Too many characters and perspectives is very dangerous thing. Take pity on my slow updating. My brother just got married on July 3 where I was very involved with planning a 300 guest affair, and had to run away from the evil looks of relatives complimenting how beautiful I've grown up to be and asking how old I am. When I sense the "evil blind date set up" (or for those who are Chinese, the yum cha aka set you up with some guy who claims will one day be a doctor and look how good you two would be), I run like the fiery flames of hell are at my feet, even in four inch heels and a fluffy gown. Maybe if I hide in my room for a few days people will forget that I clean up nice.  
  
And so we end chapter 15 on a light note with no cliffhangers, but a lot of confusion on where these relationships are going. Let's try something new, a snippet of chapter 16- "And They Fall A Little Deeper"  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
She watched them line up one by one into a perfectly straight line. Her lips curled into a cruel smile as she felt herself submerging completely in her element. It was moments like these, that she felt satiating feelings of her lust for power. Every inflection in her voice was steeled to a fine perfection as she leisurely strolled down the line with her clipboard in hand pointing at girls to step forward. "Those who step forward are out. Do you fucking bitches think you can just walk in here without me knowing? You, get yourself together 'cause I can see those railroad tracks hiding underneath that concealer on your arms. Here's a fifty to cover what you owe your dealer. And you with the red top, tell your pimp, if I see you or any one of his other sorry ass bitches walk into this club I will not hesitate to fucking mess you up."  
  
"Who the hell do you think you are?! I am not a prostitute."  
  
"Don't make me laugh. I have every right to call you on what you are. The rules were simple for the call we made. No drugs and no sex. I haven't met a single prostitute who agreed to the latter. They always want that extra big tip at the end of the night."  
  
"How do you know what a prostitute looks like?"  
  
Tsukasa watched in morbid fascination as the young woman tore into them. He was starting to regret taking her invitation to go out later, but feared her wrath for canceling on short notice more than anything. Regret for letting Tsukushi talk him into the silly date hammered in his head. He was more than shocked when he heard her response. Perhaps he had fallen a bit deeper than he would have liked.  
  
"Easy, I was one."  
  
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Now where did that come from? Review if you wanna see more. Review if you liked what you saw. Heck, review just to make me write a little bit faster. 


	16. Darkness of the Heart

Disclaimer: Romantic geometry is mine, but the rights are not.

Chapter 16: Darkness of the Heart

"So..."

"You know one of these days doctors could come up with a cure to whatever mental disorder you have."

"Are you always this cranky in the morning?"

"Only when some whack job decides it might be fun to share some jell-o at five in the morning," Tsukushi mumbled. Her face was still buried in the pillow, hoping that he might get the hint and vacate himself from her room.

Akira waved off her rather less than sunshine attitude, preferring to keep the conversation light. The spoon held between his fingers dangled haphazardly in the air with a chunk of green goo on it. "But jell-o is oh so good."

"How did you get in here anyway? Visiting hours aren't for another four hours. For some odd reason, I think the smile on the night shift nurse's face is enough of an explanation as to how you got in here."

His hand fell over his heart in shock. "Are you saying that I offered my services to the fair medicinal maiden?"

Tsukushi lifted her head from her pillow. A shot of air blew from her lips, lifting the bangs that fell over her eyes. "This must be a very bad dream if you are spouting such bad alliterations. Damn, dream Akira is weird."

His finger played with the spoon, pointing it accusingly at her. "You're so mean to me," he whined.

"And you're so annoying," she whined back in the same voice. "Why don't you leave me alone?! What have I ever done to deserve this? Why god? Why?"

"Okay, okay, okay," he acquiesced. "I'll be good now." His face became downcast.

She hated it when he threw a guilt trip at her. Nothing was more infuriating and nagging than Akira's guilt trips. "What's wrong?" she asked softly.

"Everything under the sun, moon and stars," he flippantly stated.

"Cut the shit, Akira. I know you've been keeping something from me. So, just tell me already before I have to beat it out of you. I may be in a hospital bed, but that doesn't mean I still can't do you some bodily harm."

He ran his fingers through his hair. A look of disgust crossed his features at the very obvious scent of the nurse's perfume, which had permeated itself in his hair, clothes, and body. He almost felt like the kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar in the way she was able to deduce of his brief liaison with the nurse whose name he still did not even bother to ask for. "I don't think I can handle things without you," he confessed.

She shook her head, disagreeing with him. "It's only been two days Akira. It's not like you ran the club to the ground. I already managed to almost burn down the place. I don't think you could top that one. I already told you that you are in charge on this thing. I'm merely consulting you. You need to learn to take more responsibility. This could be it."

"I don't want it. I don't want to do everything alone." He saw the look of hurt in her face. It hit him with a full remorseful force that what he had said had just labeled him an insensitive jerk. He quickly hurried to remedy his lapse in word choice. "I don't think I'm responsible enough to do all this. I'm not very good at directing people or keeping track of things. Hell, I don't even know what day of the week it is half the time. Sakurako always has to remind me."

"You'll get the hang of it. Once you make a few mistakes here and there you learn from them. I trust you completely."

"I wish you wouldn't say that."

"So, there must be more than just this topic that brings you here so early in the morning. The others are going to come pick me up after I'm discharged in a few hours. I'm thinking what you needed to tell me is something private."

He nodded his head mournfully. "We got the rough estimates as to how much the repairs would cost us. It's not a pretty number. With our savings, we can barely cover half of the expenses."

"How bad is it?"

"We're looking at forty five if we keep it to the basics to get it back to the way it was before."

She didn't even blanch at the number. "I expected it to be as much. How much is the insurance willing to cover?"

"Not much, from what the contractor was saying. He said he's seen cases like ours where the insurance screws you over, saying that most of the damage cannot be considered due to the extensive liabilities in covering public areas, especially a night club."

Her fingers reached for her temples to massage the pounding in her head. "Can we not talk about this right now? I can feel a migraine coming."

"That's the way I've felt for the last two days without you," he snorted. "Being an adult sucks."

"Imagine having that migraine for the last five years, then come talk to me."

"Ouch," he winced from behind the shadows of the room. He shifted back and forth, pacing around the sterile room. Akira finally settled back into his chair, choosing a pathetic slumped-over position. His hand grabbed for the bowl of jell-o he had abandoned. An angry spoon jabbed at the wiggly mass. "Do we tell the others?"

Tsukushi idly stared at her hands in a gaze that spoke of a strange fascination in them. Lifting her face to meet his, she sighed. "Not yet. We don't need to cause any alarm. Shizuka knows, right?"

He nodded his head. "And what about the repairs?"

"Handle only the most basic required ones. For everything else, we'll get to it when the time comes. We'll see what happens like we always do. We work best under pressure."

"I don't think my heart can take all of this."

"Is that a stethoscope around your neck?" she asked. One eyebrow rose out of curiosity.

"Umm... yeah," Akira hesitantly replied. He sheepishly laughed to himself. "It was a souvenir." He lifted his hands in defense. "Sex can be a very good stress reliever. If you took one of my offers once in a while, you wouldn't be strung so tightly all the time."

In response she chucked a pillow at his head and slumped back into her bed, pulling the sheets over her head and hoping to catch at least a few more hours of sleep before her release later that morning. "Man whore," she loudly grumbled.

---------------------------------

For the fourth time that morning, Yuuki's hands trembled as she fumbled with the buttons on her sweater coat. A few muttered curses fell from her lips at the last failed attempt. In frustration, she dropped her hands to the side and slumped down on her bed. Staring into her lap, she calmed herself by taking a few large gulps of air. Her tiny hands reached for the wretched buttons resting on them. She was too absorbed in her jumbled nerves to notice the shadow that stopped before her.

"Here, let me do that for you," a soothing voice said. Thomas knelt down before her and brushed the stray bangs that had fallen over her eyes. He smiled gently with a knowing look in his eyes that encompassed everything she needed to hear, which was that everything was going to be alright. His hands made quick work at forcing those buttons through the holes, sealing the front of her sweater closed.

Yuuki closed her eyes, focusing on the fact that she had to get out of the funk she was in. A small smile crossed her lips at the thought of how kind Thomas had been. He had understood her hesitation to see Tsukushi. She was a coward, and she knew it for a fact. Deep down she wondered to herself whether or not Thomas knew of her own sordid past and that was the reason why he was being so nice. However, she knew better. It was their rules from the start that you were never required to share the past unless you wanted it to be known. The only people that knew what and who she really was consisted of Tsukushi, Susumu, and Soujiro. It was bad enough that they knew her dirty past. It was fear of the humiliation and rejection that held her back from explaining everything to Thomas. But he never asked. And for that she was grateful.

"All done," he half-heartedly sang out. Thomas rose to his feet and offered his hand to her. "Are you ready to go?"

She nodded her head in reply. He was about to walk ahead without her, but was stopped by her hand thrusting forward and gripping his wrist. He stopped and turned around to see her weakly smile at him.

"Thank you for everything," she whispered.

He made two small steps forward and wrapped his arms around her thin frame. Kissing her on the head, he rubbed her back with his hand in small circles. "Anytime."

In that moment, her heart jumped in a large, loud thump. She froze, wondering what that could have been, but it would not abate. It was a feeling that she had experienced many times before. She blushed in shame, cursing herself for allowing this. It was her weakness.

Of all the people to do this to, why did it have to be him? He's too good for me.

Her heart heartily disagreed with her as it began to beat more rapidly. She looked up into his face, searching for something in it that would quell the emotions rising in her. Her mind rationalized reasons to not feel what she was feeling.

He's just being nice because of the deal we made. He doesn't want you. He wants her. I'm just a means to his end.

A nagging voice in Thomas' head screamed at him to stop what he was doing. It demanded he let go of her. He knew in some way that she was probably beginning to feel a bit of what he had first noticed that night not so long ago. At first, he brushed it aside as merely a physical attraction that was inevitable between two good looking people, but there was that cursed underlying factor.

Loneliness can be a powerful thing.

He was tired of being alone, of loving someone who did not give a shit for him. There had been others he used over the years to fill that void in his life, but in the end he always went back to her. He was a masochist to put himself on the line for her. She never even gave him a hint as to ever having any attachment to him, yet he wanted to believe she did. He could not deny himself that small piece of something, that feeling only she could ever give him. Maybe it was more the fact that he never allowed himself to let someone else have the chance of giving it to him. Unknowingly, Yuuki had managed to come so close to doing just that. The longer he was around her, the more he didn't want to let her go. Sometimes he wanted to let someone need him in whatever capacity as much as he needed them.

I can't let this happen. She's too good for me.

Yuuki's hand reached up to cup his cheek, smoothing her delicate fingers over his chiseled features. He reacted to her touch by leaning into it. Without her knowledge, her feet pushed upwards, making her stand on tiptoes. She closed her eyes, feeling the light sensation of her long lashes brushing against her face. Her breath stilled as she leaned forward.

Lips brushed against his as light as a feather's caress. There was neither hurry nor passion in it, but an undeniable helplessness. He didn't care anymore. Thomas didn't want to think. He just wanted to feel. Closing his own eyes, he kissed her back.

I'm falling and nothing can stop me.

----------------------------

Soujiro paced back and forth in his apartment. For the tenth time that morning, he pushed the curtains back of his window to stare at the car in her driveway. When he stumbled in at about one in the morning the night before, he thought that perhaps Thomas was just going to be over and leave. But now an entire night had passed and his car was still there. Something in his chest wrapped itself around his heart, squeezing just a bit tighter.

"Fuck," he muttered under his breath.

He was wringing his hands at this point, wondering when they would come out. The image would not escape his head. In retrospect, he shouldn't have entered her home unannounced, but then again, her door was always open to him. She had given him a spare set of keys in case of an emergency. After what happened that night at the club and the fact that he had not seen her since, he believed it was within his own right to check up on her. What he least expected to see was Yuuki sound asleep on the couch, tucked away in Thomas' arms.

"Bastard."

However, he knew that he couldn't do anything about it. No matter how much he disliked the idea of them together, what was he to do?

She could be mine. All I have to do is say something. She would take anything no matter how small it is, for some value. She would forget him.

Could he really do that to her? Destroy any shred of happiness she might find that existed outside of him? Perhaps he could carry on the facade of loving her, only her. But he knew that was not in his nature. He would grow tired of her and break her heart like all the others. Soujiro stayed for the passion, but never for the emotional aspect of the relationship. That was something he could never handle, nor ever wanted to deal with. Sara had left him with enough emotional baggage to last a lifetime.

He laughed to himself, thinking how ironic it was that he was just like Rui and Tsukushi. In his mind, they won the prize for the most fucked up relationship in history. Then again, his only committed relationship had ended rather horribly. It was no wonder he avoided relationships like the plague.

His eyes settled on the crumpled napkin on the coffee table lying next to his wallet and keys. Her phone number was right there, taunting him. It made him feel more like a bastard than ever, to know that while he was plotting ways to get rid of Thomas from the picture, he was hung up on the prospect of whether or not to call up his ex. Logic would have told him to just shut up and leave Yuuki alone, but he couldn't do that. He wanted to be a selfish bastard even if it meant depriving her of something that might be what she needs. In a sick way, he liked the fact that she was always there waiting for him. Yes, he did love her a bit more than a friend. That he was willing to admit. Yet he also knew he loved Sara differently for some inexplicable reason. He couldn't let go of something that never really ended to begin with.

The indecisiveness finally got to him as he grabbed his wallet and keys off the table. Dressed casually in a t-shirt and baggy jeans, he slipped on a grey hooded sweatshirt and stepped out the door. The light patter of drizzles hit his face as he jogged across the street. Taking one last deep breath, he prayed that he wouldn't be punished too harshly in hell for what he was about to do. His fist fell on the door with a dull thud.

------------------------

All coherent thought flew out of her head, replaced by a lucid haze as she let herself go, feeling only his lips brushing against hers. A small sigh escaped her, reveling in the small pleasure in it. His hands moved to pull her in closer, forcing her to slightly arch her back. A warm feeling was coursing through her entire being.

Thomas hugged her a bit tighter. His hands rested on her waist, partially supporting her to relieve some of the burden of her having to stand on tiptoe. He slouched partially to meet her lips. The soft sigh that emitted from her lips drove his senses wild, awakening some of his most primal urges within. A part of him wanted to push it even further, intensifying what was really an innocent, soft, gentle experimental kiss.

He was about to make his move to take it a step further, but a knock at the door interrupted them. He silently groaned when she jerked back. They stared at each other, not quite knowing what to say. They were both slightly breathless and dazed. Yuuki's fingers went to touch her lips in shock at what she had done.

"Yuuki," he started.

"I've got to get the door," she hurriedly cut him off. Brushing past him, she was internally grateful for the person standing outside, taking her away from the awkwardness of facing what had transpired. She didn't even bother to check who was outside before flinging the door open. "Jiro," she stuttered out.

"Hi," he lamely waved. He peeked over her shoulder to see Thomas awkwardly standing with his hands in his pockets.

Thomas looked towards the door. Just when he thought things couldn't be more awkward they just did. He plastered on a fake smile and waved back. "Hey, Soujiro. Umm... I'm just gonna go get my wallet. I think I left it in the bedroom." Without another word, he rushed into the bedroom. closing the door behind him.

He slapped his palm against his face as soon as the door was shut. Slumping against it, he mentally berated himself for acting so stupid. His heart was still beating rather rapidly as he tried to digest what happened. All he could think of was what an idiot he was.

Yuuki didn't know whether to burst out in laughter or tears in light of the situation. "Do you need something, Jiro?" Her voice faltered a bit, cracking and giving way to the nervousness she was experiencing.

"Can we talk?" he blurted out. He motioned for her to join him on the porch.

She nodded her head in agreement and shut the front door closed behind her. Wrapping her arms around herself, she stepped outside barefoot. It was rather unexpected to her that he would show up unannounced. Generally, Soujiro would call before coming over. She knew deep inside that something was wrong. He seemed greatly troubled. "What did you want to talk about?"

"I was just wondering if you were okay. Are you?"

"I'm fine. I mean, as fine as things can be the way they are. If you are talking about what I think you are, don't worry. I'll get over it. I always do." She bitterly smiled to herself.

"You know I'll always be there for you, right?"

She placed her hand on his shoulder and nodded. "Of course, I do. You always have been. But it seems like you wanted to ask me something else?"

He laughed at himself for not thinking ahead of how easily Yuuki was always able to see right through him sometimes. He was especially transparent when he was nervous. He looked out into street, studying the way the rain fell into the puddles, disturbing the smooth surface with its rippling effects. All the words he had so carefully orchestrated in his mind dissipated at her mere presence. Question upon question built up on him, weighing down his own guilt.

"Are you sure nothing is wrong, Jiro?"

"Are you really with Thomas now?" he abruptly asked, ignoring her question. "Why?"

The sound of his name brought a secretive smile to her lips. "Everything is still pretty new for the both of us. I know one thing though... he's good to me," she confessed truthfully. "That's a pretty damn good reason for me."

He seemed so lost to her. She couldn't really fathom the connection of emotions running across his face. It was a rarity to see Soujiro so lost, so confused. Like the rest of them, he had those "bad" days where nothing seemed to make sense. He would just disappear into himself. His very soul would leave him. With clouded eyes lost in a fog of his own ponderings, he detached himself from all that fought to anchor him to the living. The determination of when he would come out was completely arbitrary.

Internally he struggled with himself to find some sort of conclusion that would ensure his own sense of mental well-being, but none would come to him. He didn't quite understand why Thomas of all people unnerved him. From a certain perspective, it was unreasonable that the two would get together. They had never shown any interest before.

What they have will fall apart. I know it will. They'll have a few thrills, and then it will end. She always comes back. It's just like all the other times.

Smiling weakly to himself, he turned to her. "You deserve the best."

What else was there to do but for her to smile back. If she showed the hurt that was buried deep within her, he would know the truth. Her worst fear was for him to find out the desperate lengths she was willing to go to. It was juvenile and she knew it, yet she trusted Thomas in his plan. If Soujiro were to ever know the truth that she would pose in a concocted false relationship in a pathetic attempt to awaken the slightest hint of jealousy in him, she would never outlive the sting of humiliation. Her pride could not take it or what was left of it.

And so they smiled the smiles that belied their vanity and pride.

Soujiro pulled her into a fierce hug, catching her by surprise. Yuuki instantly melted into his embrace, enveloping herself in the warmth and sheer desperation in his strong grip. With Soujiro, one could never try to presume anything of his intentions. They all acted on their own free will with their hidden agendas, not revealing the truth in their intentions until the very last moment. So Yuuki took his sudden affection for what it was worth.

"I can never understand you sometimes, Jiro," she mumbled into his shoulder.

"Where would the mystery in our relationship be if you did?" he chuckled.

"Good point."

He breathed in deeply, inhaling her scent, the warmth of being next to another body. Finally pulling himself away, he lightly kissed her on the cheek. His face hovered over her ear. "Wait for me."

Her eyes widened at his words. They seemed so innocent, yet they held such an enormity to them. In her own feminine perspective where every syllable, word, and gesture had to be carefully analyzed, her mind went into rapid motions, trying to make sense of what was said. His statements were like putting two and two together.

Soujiro squeezed her hand one last time and slowly slipped away, trudging back out into the drizzling rain. He flipped the hood over his head, blocking her any view of his face. All the while he hoped he had done the right thing. He wasn't a fool to lose everything so easily. Words have a very powerful effect.

Yuuki's fingers reached up to her cheek, touching the spot where he had kissed her. The skin was still tingling from the sensation of his warm, soft lips brushing against it. Every thought in her mind flew out to be abandoned by the absorption of what his kiss and his embrace felt like. She swore to herself that there had been something in the way he did those things that differed from all the other times. So, she stood out on the porch watching his departing back. Her whisper of a voice barely made it outside of the porch, fading out in the rising howls of the wind. "I am waiting for the best..."

--------------------------

He was barely awake as he grumbled a few choice words under his breath. Clad in only a pair of flannel pajama bottoms, his fingers scrambled through his hair, tugging at them in an attempt to use the slight pain to wake himself up. Initially he planned on letting the ringing of the doorbell persist until the person got fed up enough to leave, but apparently they knew his plan all too well with the garbled melody coming from the timed pushing of the bell.

"Wha izzit?" he half yelled, peering out of bleary sleep-infused eyes.

Sakurako jumped back, a bit disarmed by the sexy way he leaned against the doorframe half naked. Her tongue darted out to lick her lips, studying the way his pants hung dangerously low, riding on his hips. His exposed abdominal muscles twitched with every slight movement he made to stretch out the kinks. Finding herself at a momentary loss of words, her brain frantically searched for something coy to say that would border on friendly playfulness and veiled flirtation. However, her brain was in the mood to blank out on her.

"Hey," she cheerily and oh so eloquently greeted him.

He waved a tired hand back at her and mumbled a gruff greeting that sounded more like a Neolithic grunt that to him was a morning greeting. Not even bothering to waste another moment, he turned around and trudged back into the apartment, leaving her standing outside in the doorway flabbergasted. A soft thud was heard seconds later when he launched himself onto the couch to lay on his back. His arm shot out to cover his eyes, blocking any minimal amount of light that dared creep onto his face.

Sakurako dejectedly sighed, wishing to pound her head into the wall for her own stupidity.

Of all the times, the best thing I could come up with was "Hey." Kill me now! Is this my punishment for playing all those guys? To be conversationally impaired by the one hot guy that's caught my attention? This is just working out beautifully. Next thing I know I'll be blushing like a damn virgin.

She shook off her lack of confidence and finesse around the sleepy Adonis, rationalizing that perhaps he had been too incoherent in his hazy sleep-addled mind to fully realize her faux pas. Like all women with a newfound crush, even bona fide players like herself had off days. She took her small set back with long deep breath. Squaring her shoulders, she stepped inside, closing the door behind her.

Once again she attempted to start real conversation, using everyone's best friend during awkward situations as such. "It looks like it's going to start pouring again?" she randomly stated.

Tsukasa turned onto his side and peeped out from under his arm. His glazed-over eyes stared blankly out the window where a fresh patter of rain was beginning to splatter against. "Fucking wonderful," he grumpily slurred to himself.

He only half realized that the apparition in the room was an actual person and that he was no longer asleep. Up to that point, he still wished he was just being punished with a morning wake up call by an apparition resembling Sakurako created by his mind's own sick, twisted volition. After spending the last eighteen hours moving broken furniture, scrubbing down floors, and any other menial task that Akira dealt out to the guys in the club, coherency was the last thing he was being granted at the moment. He was pretty much dead to the world as his entire body began to shut down. "What are you doing here?" he grumbled.

She wondered to herself why she had the bright idea to come over so early. At the time, it sounded like it might be a good thing to do, but based on the conversation, or lack thereof, she was starting to rethink her plan of attack. "I just wanted to check up on you. It's been awhile since I've seen you."

"You saw me yesterday when you ditched the rest of us on clean up duty."

Damn it! I knew that running out on them would come back to bite me in the ass. But then again it's not every day that the silk cami I've been eyeing for the last two weeks goes on sale. It was 60 percent off! A girl can't resist that!

"Something important came up."

He lifted his head momentarily and eyed the camisole she was just thinking about moments ago on her body. "We all know that shopping is a life and death situation," he sarcastically retorted.

"Hey, how did you know?!"

"I saw you in the store pointing to that top in the window when the guys sent me out to pick up some lunch."

Busted.

She stammered a bit, trying to calm her nerves at the prospect of being caught in such a bad light. "Ummm..."

He waved his hand dismissively in the air. "Don't sweat it. I didn't tell anyone. Your secret is safe with me."

She grinned broadly, realizing that this was the perfect chance to ask him. It would come off as casual with no hint of desperation in her. It was absolutely perfect timing. "Thank you. Akira would have gone ballistic on me if he knew where I ran off."

"No problem," he murmured, half asleep.

She plopped herself onto the floor and propped her arms on the arm of the couch to look down at his face. "How about I take you out to dinner as a thank you for your chivalry?"

"Yeah, whatever."

"Okay. It's a date then. We'll talk about it later to set up when and where."

"Uh huh." His soft snores soon followed after his agreement to the date.

Sakurako's lips curved into a mischievous smile knowing that she had gotten her way. Albeit that it was a bit underhanded and that he probably didn't even know it was a date, she was still happy enough that she had him where she wanted him. Now all she needed was a bit of an extra push from someone to make Tsukasa see that they were meant to be.

For the first time in a long time, her stomach fluttered in nervousness about a man. It was probably some of the last remnants of her teenage years running through her that caused the lapse in judgment to believe that Tsukasa would surely fall in love with her. To her, the emotions that she felt were as close to love as it ever could get. She wanted so badly to make this work, to show everyone that she could handle a healthy adult relationship. There was no way she was going to screw this up. Tsukasa was her last chance for a normal relationship. If a guy as nice as him didn't want her, then she didn't know what to do.

I think I should have a little chat with Tsukushi later.

--------------------

He awoke startled by a swift kick in the leg. The searing pain was an intense jolt to his senses, forcing his eyes to open while his arm shot to his chest, trying to sooth his erratically beating heart. Rui's mind raced to make sense of what was going on. He was laying at an odd angle half on and off the bed, yet the person beside him was not Shizuka. It was only after a small hand landed on his chest that he recognized the person in the bed.

Kaya.

He tugged the covers downward to tuck them beneath her chin. A small amount of paranoia consumed him of the chance of her suffocating under the mound of sheets. She lay on her stomach with her thick blanket of hair falling over her face, shielding it from view. He reached out and brushed it aside, admiring how angelic she looked against his ivory sheets. She mumbled a bit, as if sensing it was time to wake up soon, yet she continued to sleep her blissful slumber. Rui stayed by her side, ignoring his own uncomfortable position.

I've already missed so much of your life. I can only pray that Tsukushi and I haven't completely screwed up your life before you've even gotten the chance to live it.

His body twisted to shift out of the bed without disturbing his daughter. When he finally extricated himself, he yawned while stretching every part of his body. He turned his head when he heard the small sound of keys jangling outside the door and the doorknob being turned.

Shizuka dragged her body through the door. Her overnight bag hung limply at her side. Being incoherent to pretty much anything at that point. She let the bag fall with a dull thud on the floor before settling herself on the couch. "Ugh," she groaned to herself. Her hands worked to pound out the kinks in her shoulders, but relief was not quick to come.

"Better?' a voice asked. Rui's hands went to work on her shoulders, kneading out the hardened knots.

After the quick beat of her heart stopped fluttering from the slight start, she let the familiar hands work their magic. "Heavenly," she moaned. A bit of the tension drained from her body, but the overwhelming sleepiness took its place. Her eyelids fluttered shut, however, she fought to stay awake a few minutes more. In the last few days moments like these were rare to come by, and she wanted to relish it for a bit.

Rui bent down on one knee so his chin rested on the back of the couch. His face nuzzled through her hair, snaking its way to reach the bare expanse of skin hiding underneath the blanket of hair. His lips sought out the small curve in her neck that he knew was a tender spot, sucking on the flesh. "How have you been holding up?"

Shizuka reached a hand stroke his cheek as she felt shivers of pleasure brought on by him. Tilting her head to the side, giving him better access, she sighed. "It's coming together a bit, but there's always tons of more work to do. It's been hectic running around talking to plumbers, contractors, electricians, and whoever else needs to speak to the owner. Akira's been a bit lost not knowing which way to go. None of us have ever been involved in a complete overhaul of a building. I just managed to sneak away for a few minutes while Akira went to discuss some things with Tsukushi."

He stopped what he was doing and crawled over the couch to sit beside her. Nudging her to lean against him, he entwined his fingers with hers. His thumb played over the back of her hand, rubbing small concentric circles. "Why didn't you go talk to her yourself?"

"You know I couldn't do that. Anything that involves a discussion between Tsukushi and me in a locked room is headed for disaster. She won't put the past behind. She'll never forgive me, not in the same way she forgave you." The frustration echoed in her tone.

He shook his head, wishing there was something he could do to ease the tension between the two women, but the fact he was the reason behind it was not helping at all. "Sooner or later things will fall into place. I'll try to reason with her. We can't continue like this, not when there is a fourth party involved." His eyes trailed over to the small mound sleeping under the covers of his bed. "We've already put Kaya through enough shit. I never want her to know about the mistakes we made, thinking it was the right thing for her. Sometimes I think we all don't deserve her after all the shit we pulled. We have to look at the bigger picture from now on. I'm not pointing fingers, but not all of us have been perfect. What we did was underhanded, but what Tsukushi did was deplorable, too."

"She was hurting, Rui. How else could she handle the betrayal?"

"I know, I know." His hand went up to rub the dull ache in his head at the mere thought of the severity of all their past actions. "Who would have known that Susumu left you half of the club in his will?

He started to speak, but quickly shut his mouth as a sleepy headed little girl lifted her body from the bed.

"Papa?" Kaya hoarsely called from the bed. Her hand balled up into tiny fists, rubbing away the sleep from her eyes. "Is it time to go see Mama yet?"

Rui stood up and sauntered to the bed, scooping the girl up into his arms with great ease. She buried her face into his shoulder, wallowing in the warmth. Part of her was still half asleep, but she showed signs of fully awakening. Juggling her in his arms, he settled her onto the couch, watching her body fall against Shizuka. Shizuka instinctively smoothed her hand down Kaya's thigh, offering a weak smile and a kiss on the head.

"Good morning, Kaya."

"Morning, Shizuka," she said between yawns. "Is it time to go see Mama yet?"

Rui chuckled at how one tracked his daughter could be. Ever since he had carefully explained Tsukushi's brief stay in the hospital, she had taken up to asking the same question every few hours of the day. Before he could answer another voice interrupted his.

"Not for a few more hours. The doctors want to make sure your Mama is a hundred and ten percent better before letting her go home." Shizuka voice rose, emphasizing the percentage value of Tsukushi's wellness to point out to the girl how important it was for her mother to be there in the first place. "How about you get the markers and crayons I got for you the other day in the blue bag over there and you can make her a get well card? Then maybe you and your Papa can stop by the flower shop before you pick her up from the hospital. How does that sound? I know she misses you as much as you miss her."

"Okay!" Kaya happily nodded her head in agreement. She trotted happily towards the bag, eyeing the arts and crafts supplies within with avid interest.

"Do you need any help, baby?" Rui asked politely. He stifled a laugh when she went to the kitchen table, dumping the contents haphazardly.

A stoic frown marred her face as Kaya carefully picked up a blue marker and stroked its felt tip against the pure white paper in front of her. She seemed lost in her own world as she began to write out the curvilinear hiragana that her mother had taught her some time ago. As she finished off the last character, she lifted the paper from the table, proudly displaying her perfect handwriting with a toothy grin.

After all this time, Kaya never ceased to amaze Rui. For a five year old, being able to already read and write in hiragana was a huge accomplishment. While she had already mastered the hiragana and a great deal of katakana, the other children were still struggling to hold their pencils correctly. He gave her thumbs up for her handiwork and smiled to himself as she once again became absorbed in her artwork. For the time being, it appeared the sleepiness had vanished for a newfound vigor to make a card for her mother. The tip of her tongue touched her bottom lip as she carefully orchestrated each fine stroke.

"It looks like Picasso over there will be occupied for at least an hour," Shizuka giggled. Her eyes danced in merriment, studying the little girl raise an eyebrow critically judging her own rough draft of a picture. "My god, it's scary how much she is like her father."

"Are you trying to imply something?" Rui asked.

"A normal child would grab the first crayon they saw and pump out a drawing in a few minutes. Only your daughter would take an hour doing and redoing a drawing until it was perfect. Reminds me of a certain someone who can't stand if their sheet music has a single erasure mark on it. Anal tendencies must run on your side."

"It's not my fault those smudge marks are so damn unsightly to look at. Maybe she got it from her mother?"

"Nope, it's all you. Don't try to put the blame on Tsukushi if Kaya ends up having some sort of strange, freakish perfectionist tendencies. Well, it looks like it's already too late so that's a lost cause."

In response to her assessment a pillow was tossed in her face.

"A man of very few words," she sighed. Hugging the pillow, Shizuka curled up on the couch and closed her eyes. "Wake me up before you leave for the hospital. I promised I would be back at the club to talk to the electrician."

"Ssshhh!" Kaya hissed. "Don't disturb an artist at work!"

Opening her eyes for a moment, Shizuka smirked at Rui. "That's your kid."

"I know," he happily replied.

---------------------------

It was some time around nine when she woke up again. The floor was already alive with the bustling of the day shift nurses running back and forth past her room. After a late breakfast and a quick freshening up in the bathroom, Tsukushi was good to go in a fresh set of clothing supplied by Tama the day before. Her feet kicked at the floor as she sat on the edge of the bed, staring out the window while waiting for someone to bring her the release forms and a final checkup from her doctor. So now it was a matter of the waiting game, which only led her mind to wander to other thoughts, ones that she had been avoiding.

Akira had left hours ago after his brief morning call. It had been nice to see him taking so well to the responsibility, but at the same time, there was that nagging in the back of her head about what would happen once she got out. There probably was a mountain of problems waiting for her to tend to. For once, she was glad she talked Urara sensei into keeping her in the hospital a few more days.

The others don't need to know I was well enough to go home two days after like Kazuya. What they won't know won't hurt them, huh?

She stared listlessly out the window, listening to the patter of rain, the thrum of medical equipment, and muffle of voices outside her room. It was times like these when there was absolutely nothing begging for her attention that she savored. A moment of peace and quiet always gave her a chance to clear her head and regroup. It just so happened she required a few days of silence to regroup.

God, I hope what I'm going to do won't completely fuck everything up. Maybe this is exactly the chance I've been waiting for.

She leaned over to the small nightstand beside her bed, tugging the upper drawer open. The small heap of opened envelopes rested in her lap as she fingered through the pile of bills and junk mail. Tama had been good enough to pick up her mail for her and deliver it to the hospital during her passing visit. After a lengthy discussion about a rapidly approaching decision, Tsukushi had come to that final epiphany of how everything would and could only turn out. She shakily fingered through the pile, pulling out a plain white envelope with the familiar insignia printed on upper left corner. Taking a deep breath she read over its contents once more before tucking it safely away for future keeping.

It's taken years in the making, and I never thought it would come so soon. I'm doing the right thing... for all of us.

"Somebody looks excited to be going home today," a masculine voice called through the doorway. Kazuya lazily leaned on the doorframe holding a fresh bouquet of casablancas in his left hand. His sneakers squeaked against the polished linoleum as his wet hair and clothes left a watery puddle in his wake. "I got you a little something to celebrate your great emancipation."

"You make it sound as if I were getting out of a long jail sentence."

"Have you seen the food they serve? One more day of that dry, tasteless chicken and jell-o and I would call that cruel and unusual punishment."

Tsukushi smiled weakly as she watched him toss out the dying flowers in the vase next to her and replaced them with fresh flowers. "You've been here every day to visit me at this time," she stated as a matter of fact. "Still avoiding Akira and Rui, huh?"

"Like I would be scared of those two," he scoffed. Waving his hands flamboyantly, he dismissed her accusations and settled himself into a chair. "Perhaps I'm avoiding Sakurako and her prodding. The girl sure knows how to put a guy on the spot with some of the questions she asks. She should really think about going into law or something. Her interrogations are a killer."

"I must remember to ask her later for some of the details she has extracted from you then."

He placed a hand over hers and grinned. "I'm an open book to you." Sensing the small bit of detachment in her teasing, he softly asked, "Penny for your thoughts?"

For some odd reason, the odd and stalker-like man had managed to break through her standoffish demeanor and stick around. She laughed to herself that the man must be some kind masochist to come back for more rejection. Then again, in every relationship there is always some masochism involved. Without it, how would the world exist? It was just Kazuya's bad luck that he had to endure more than most. After twenty three failed attempts to get his coveted date with the hospital patient, their tentative friendship had progressed to a relationship about nothing, which only made it more mind-boggling. In a way, Tsukushi had come to depend on seeing the man with whom she spoke about everything and nothing all at the same time. For hours they would just sit and talk about whatever came to mind with an ease that usually only came to those who had been friends for years. As much as she hated to admit it, Kazuya had grown on her.

He was exactly what she needed at the moment, someone who knew nothing about her past, present, or future. Sometimes the best person to seek advice from is someone who doesn't know you.

"Have you ever just wanted to be utterly selfish?"

He sat back, pausing to gather his thoughts before rendering a reply. His forehead wrinkled in thought, which she had learned he did often when he became pensive. "I guess we all have one of those moments we have to be selfish. Then again, it's not really being selfish if we have the right reasons. Sometimes the selfish choices are the ones that have to be made because it's the right thing to do. Other people may get hurt, but what is best for you is best for you and no one else but you can determine that. There comes a point when you should just say, 'fuck it,' and not care what anyone else wants."

"Okay."

"Okay? You ask me a somewhat deep, thought-provoking question and all I get is an okay?"

"Yeah... thanks, I guess. What do you want from me?"

"A date?"

"Nice try," she laughed. "Still not getting one, though."

His fingers ran through his hair, frantically trying to come up with something that would break her impenetrable resolve. Laughing maniacally, he pointed a finger in her face, stopping a few inches from her nose. "One day you are going to crack, and when you do..."

"You won't be there," she sarcastically snorted, quite unaffected by the clichéd choice of words.

Kazuya shoved his chair backwards, shaking his head. His finger tapped on her nose, which she scrunched. "You think you have me all figured out. As I was saying, one day you're going to crack and when you do, I'll still be there!"

Seeing the pure look of dogged determination on his face was too much for her as she broke out in a fit of laughter. The laughs came out in an unadulterated cackle, intermittently disrupted by unladylike snorts. "You are so sad, and before you lose any more of your self respect, I'll spare you by switching topics. Moving on now, Mr. Open Book. What are your plans for this fine summer vacation? I do recall you mentioning you generally go home for the breaks."

He scuttled back and forth of her bed, kicking the ground with the tip of his shoe. "I'm running away for a bit, although I will admit I am pathetic to be running away from home at the age of 22."

"What are you running from? A spanking?" she giggled. "Be a man and suck it up. There's nothing worse than a person who can't just take things head on. Do what you say and say what you mean."

"You would be running away after telling your parents that you don't want to take over the family business. My father is still reeling over the fact that his only son will not be taking over his legacy. It's come down to the point where I have the choice of making it on my own sorry ass or running back home like a scared kid. They were already pissed off enough when I decided not to head straight to university after high school."

"So, this would be around the time you spent as a bellboy in your parents' resort and the rest of the time surfing till sunset?"

"Best damn days of my life," he sighed wistfully. "All I've ever wanted is my freedom from my parents' expectations. All I know is that there is something greater for me out there, something that I just haven't found yet, but when I have it in my grasp I'll never let it go. Haven't you wanted anything more from the life you have?"

"More than you'll ever know," she quietly mumbled to herself. Pulling herself out of her own pity party, she put on a more cheerful front. Having not heard her previous statement, she flashed Kazuya a wicked smile. "What do you think I've been doing in the hospital this entire time? With so much time on my hands, the ideas for world domination have taken over. Oh, what a world it will be when I become supreme ruler."

"I'll be an accomplice in that!" He eagerly raised his hand in the air, volunteering for the position of second in command.

Her finger waggled in the air while she raised an eyebrow in an overly dramatic and villainous pose. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Pinky?" She lowered her voice to mimic one of the many characters from a cartoon she used to watch as a child.

A flicker of recognition lit up in his eyes as he played along with her game. He put on a blank expression of innocence and followed her lead. "Yes, Brain. I've always wondered that if the moon was made of cheese, would it be cheddar or brie?"

"You know?" she asked in disbelief.

"I watched every episode of Pinky and the Brain as a kid. I had a lot of free time and it didn't hurt either that we had satellite TV. Narf!" From there he began to sing the opening theme song of the Warner Brothers cartoon.

"Holy crap! You might be cooler than I thought." Her eyes lit up in childish glee.

Scratching the back of his head, he blankly smiled at the odd compliment. "I'll take that as a good thing, I guess."

Before she could make a blasting quip about his own obliviousness to that of one of her favorite dim sidekicks, a child's scream interrupted.

"Mama!" Kaya ran headlong into the room and jumped straight into her mother.

Being caught unaware, Tsukushi let the little girl ram right into her, knocking her backwards onto the bed. She bit her own lip to stifle the scream of pain that wanted to rip from her lips. It felt like one of the stitches on her back had popped open, and a faint wetness was starting to stain her shirt. Fighting to keep a calm face, she lifted Kaya off of her, and held her in her lap. "I missed you too, Kaya." Her voice strained to keep up the happy façade as a slew of expletives ran through her mind at the pain from her wound. A small pair of arms wrapped around her neck in a chokehold. Over the top of her daughter's head she could make out the faint trace of Rui standing in the doorway holding a small bouquet of flowers. He apologetically smiled and mouthed a 'sorry.'

"I missed you tons, Mama! Look, I made you this card." She presented the wrinkled piece of paper that was clutched in her hand to her mother. On the front cover was a scrawled picture of a rainbow and some flowers with the childlike writing saying 'Get Well' on it. "I miss my room and my toys. Can we go home now?"

"Who is this?" a masculine voice chuckled. Kazuya stepped forward and knelt at the side of the bed, offering a hand for the little girl to shake. "My name is Kazuya. It's nice to meet you."

A pair of hazel eyes redirected their gaze from her mother to the foreign man in the room of friends and family. She slowly studied him for a few brief moments, trying to ascertain a final judgment on him. Her eyebrows knitted together, and slowly her body shied away from the hand.

It was rather surprising that Kaya had rejected Kazuya. More so, it was the first time that her daughter had refused a perfectly polite introduction. It worried her to a degree to see the small bit of introversion so similar to her father's predisposition. "What's wrong, baby?' she whispered into her ear.

Kaya blinked slowly and stared at her mother. Her fingers gripped at the collar of her shirt as she pulled Tsukushi's head lower. Her lips moved against her mother's ear as she began whispering something back to her.

The other occupants in the room watched in avid interest at the exchange going on between mother and daughter. Kazuya had long since retracted his hand and stood awkwardly, scratching the back of his head and trying to figure out exactly what heinous crime he could have committed to offend the little girl. Rui inwardly wondered himself what was the reason for Kaya's rejection. Although he wasn't exactly fond of the man in the room, he saw no reason for his daughter's outright brush off.

Tsukushi's eyes narrowed as the words filtered into her ears. Her fingers dug into her palms, wishing the person whose fault it was was right there at that moment so she could strangle him. It would have been easier to physically hurt him in the hospital since he would be in immediate access to medical attention after she was through with him. She listened to the last of her daughter's explanation, and patted her on the head, smiling. Her composure was held tightly with the pure need to remain calm in front of the impressionable and questionably ruined child.

"I'm sure what he said was not true. Kazuya is my friend and I like him. Remember what I always tell you about meeting new people?"

Kaya solemnly nodded her head and began to recite the overused words. "You should never listen to what others say about other people. You should make your own decision whether or not someone is bad and not assume other people's opinions are right. Papa says, 'when you assume you make an...."

Rui jumped forward and clamped a hand over her mouth. He nervously pulled Kaya away from Tsukushi and laughed. "Uh, your Mama doesn't need to hear that last part."

She glared daggers at Rui, making her point clear that she would have a word with him later about the addition to the last part of that speech. Her lips twitched into a malicious smile as she thanked Rui for also reiterating the same moral principles, more or less. "Why don't you start over with Kazuya?"

Beaming proudly, Kaya leapt out of her father's arms and ran up in front of Kazuya. With a large amount of flourish and grace, she dipped down low into a curtsy, holding up the edges of her dress. Her head slightly lifted up, revealing large innocent eyes. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Makino Kaya."

Kazuya stifled a laugh at the theatrics alone He could tell right away she was one good kid with a mischievous streak in her. He crouched down on the floor to meet her at eye level and smiled. "It's nice to meet you too. I hope we can become very good friends one day. You have something there." His hand went up behind her ear and pulled out a piece of candy that magically appeared. He winked and placed the confection into her hand. "I wonder where that came from?"

"Oh! Candy!" She immediately snatched the treat from her hand and popped it into her mouth, chewing happily away and completely forgetting her previous conceptions of the man. "I'm sorry for being mean to you. Mama was right. I shouldn't have listened to Akira when he called you all of those bad words."

All eyes except mother and daughter's went wide with the revelation of what the clandestine whisperings were about.

"You should know better than to believe what Akira tells you, honey," Tsukushi bit out through clenched teeth. She was still a bit peeved by Akira's free mouth around her daughter.

Rui almost face faulted, realizing how Kaya must have overheard the adult conversation going around the club the past few days. Kazuya was one of the new favorite hot topics of gossip going around, which Akira heavily argued upon with a few choice words of his character. He knew better than to believe that their voices didn't carry into the office space she was confined in.

"I was kind of confused. Sakurako said he would make Mama really happy with his big, fat wallet. Can I see, Kazuya? Sakurako said that a man with a big wallet has something else just as big that would make you happy, Mama. What was she talking about?"

An odd shade of red painted Kazuya's face at the inquisition. His face contorted into one of flabbergasted shock, but he was secretly happy at the little reference to a certain part of his anatomy. He wasn't an idiot to forget such a nice compliment considering how it bolstered his ego.

Tsukushi ducked her head in horror. It would take a few days to erase most of the conversations that Kaya had probably overheard. It would most likely take a few weeks to get over the embarrassment of the company she held. First on her list would be Akira, and then she would get Sakurako. "I have no idea what Sakurako could have been talking about, baby." She nervously laughed off whatever her daughter had said.

"Yeah.... I think I should be going now. I have some place I need to be in an hour. I'll talk to you later, Tsukushi?" Kazuya dropped another piece of candy into Kaya's hand and patted her on the head. Falling to one knee, he smiled. "It was very nice to meet you, Kaya. I hope I can see you again sometime." On his way out, he briefly nodded to the doctor at the doorway flipping through her medical charts.

"Well, how's my patient today?" Wearing her requisite long white lab coat, Urara-sensei glided into the room with a relaxed ease. "It's time to sign you out, Tsukushi." She plucked a pen from her pocket and handed the clipboard to her.

Kaya recoiled from the familiar doctor, cringing at the all too painful memory of the last shot she was given by the woman.

A flicker of amusement flashed through her eyes as she narrowed them on Kaya. "Don't need to worry today, dear. All I'm packing today is lollipops. No shots for another few months." She pulled out a purple lollipop from her other pocket and handed it to Kaya.

Throwing a fist into the air in triumph, Kaya clamored for the windfall of candy she was receiving that day. "Yay, no shots! Papa, can I eat my candy now?"

Rui pulled her off the ground in one swooping motion, swinging her in the air. "How about we wash your hands first before you eat. I don't know what could be on your hands after that run through the park we had."

She giggled at the heady feeling of being shaken upside down. "Papa! Put me down!" she squealed.

Whisking her away into the bathroom, he shook his head. "Nope. I think you should learn to walk on your hands all the time. The world makes more sense that way."

"Stop being silly!"

"If you aren't careful I might drop you into the toilet head first. You ever hear of a swirly?"

"No!"

"Rui! If you give her a swirly I'll make sure to give you one later." With a flick of the wrist, Tsukushi's signature was inked on the papers, relieving her of her hospital stay. "Well, I guess that's it. Anything else I need to know before I make my grand exit?"

Urara sensei flipped through the chart one more time, making sure she didn't miss anything, knowing full well that her patient was well enough to go home a few days prior. "You just need to remember to wear the sling at all times to avoid breaking open the stitches on your shoulder blade. Just be careful when you move around. We need to make sure the stitches don't break before the cut heals up properly. Keep it clean. I've already sent down the order for your prescription of antibiotics. Other than that, you're all set to go. And it seems it is just in time for your break out party."

"Huh?" Tsukushi's eyebrows knitted at the large group that had assembled in the doorway. "Why are all of you here?"

"We all wanted to make sure you were alive enough to drag you down to the club and try to fix the mess we've made. I need someone to grip to when Akira works us like a slave driver." Soujiro ran his hand through his wet hair, flicking off droplets of water. From the small dark circles forming under his eyes, his words must have been true.

"He's right," Tsukasa agreed. He playfully shook his head, spraying water over a less than amused Soujiro. "For a guy who's a lazy ass he really knows how to work it."

Sakurako tapped a manicured finger on her chin. "I think it must be some twisted version of the pent-up sex theory. You keep it all pent up inside withholding and when it comes out, you have one of the most mind blowing fucks in your life. Sounds like Akira has stored away all of his energy to do manual labor until now- minus the mind-blowing sex."

"That sounds about right to me," Thomas agreed. "Good assessment. I concur."

"Well, thank you, sir."

"When did you two get here?" Soujiro asked raising an eyebrow. He sidled up beside Yuuki, putting an arm over her shoulder. Running a hand through her wet locks to gently detangle the wet mess, he clucked his tongue. "Didn't you bring an umbrella?"

"It kind of got away from us when we got out of the car," Thomas interjected, wrapping an arm around her waist and jerking her towards him. "The wind liked my flashy Hello Kitty umbrella too much."

The memory of Thomas' blushing face when he managed to fish out an umbrella from his backseat to fight off the sudden heavy downpour raging outside the safe confines of the car was priceless. Yuuki threw a hand over her mouth to try to keep in the laughter. It was even more comedic when he viciously fought to save his masculinity by arguing it was a gift he bought for his niece in America. No grown man would carry around a large dome shaped umbrella resembling Hello Kitty's head with two large ears poking out and two large clear pieces of plastic serving as windows for the user to see through. "That umbrella had to be the most darling thing I've ever seen in my life."

"Of course, you had to make me hold it, too," Thomas snorted. His ego was still healing from the odd looks they got between the walk from the car to the hospital entrance.

"I seriously don't believe that that gust of wind was strong enough to send the umbrella flying out of your hand into that guy that was keeled over laughing by his car."

"Hey, god has his ways to wreak vengeance! Don't mock the works of a divine providence."

Soujiro and Sakurako both looked less than pleased at the grinning couple laughing over what must have been one of those 'you had to be there' jokes. It never feels nice to be left out of the joke. Tsukasa just ignored the entire conversation, opting to take a seat next to Tsukushi on the bed. It was good to be him in his own obliviousness.

"So, it looks like my days of living in that big apartment by myself are coming to an end."

Tsukushi smiled, and lightly punched him in the arm. "I better not find a trail of pizza boxes and dirty laundry stemming from your room. It baffles the mind how men can live like slobs."

"I take offense to that! I threw the dirty laundry in a pile at the corner of my room and the pizza boxes are stacked neatly in its own architectural magnificence on the kitchen table."

"Whatever. Just swear to me there are no weird smells, Tsukasa."

"That I can promise you. My laziness to clean ends at funky smells."

"Can we go home now?" a little voice asked from the bathroom. A lollipop hung from her mouth, dangling precariously against her lips.

Tsukushi smiled and hopped off the bed, taking care not to jostle her arm in the sling too much. The last thing she needed was a scolding from Urara-sensei about being careless about the stitches on her back. Any jerky movements from her arm could rip them right out.

"Home sweet home." Tsukushi grimaced.

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A living room filled with balloons and flowers welcomed her back home. Tsukushi stretched out on the couch relaxing into the comfort of her own home. Kaya had appointed herself as her mother's personal nurse staying glued to her side for her every beck and call.

"Do you want anything else to eat, Mama?" Kaya asked between slurps of her lo mein noodles dripping from her mouth.

"I think I've had enough." She emphasized her point by patting her full stomach. She had to eat every bite on her plate that Kaya insisted she have and now the after effects of overeating were beginning to settle. All of her movements showed signs of her growing lethargy.

"Oh man, am I full," Tsukasa groaned.

"Well, I was going to suggest running out for some ice cream," Soujiro added.

"Ice cream!" Kaya instantly perked up. The plate lay forgotten on the coffee table.

"I could go for some rocky road myself."

"You just finished off the rest of the potstickers, Sakurako!" Yuuki groaned.

"There's always room for ice cream." Hooking her arm through Tsukasa's, she practically dragged him out the door.

The rest followed in tow following the redhead who was already out the door and probably going down the elevator. Thomas turned around to find that both Tsukushi and Yuuki hadn't followed, but took the silent nod of Tsukushi's head as a sign to just go.

"I'll pick you girls up something. By the time we get back, you'll probably have shed off a few off those calories," he laughed.

With the slam of the door a comfortable silence settled between Tsukushi and Yuuki. Being friends for so long and through so much over the years they didn't really need words to express what they were thinking. It was just a given fact of the matter as to the lingering thoughts in the back of their minds.

"I feel pretty silly," Yuuki suddenly said. Her voice wavered a bit coming out less as a silly affirmation and more of a weak, frightened confession. Her palm rubbed at her face trying to rub away the slight wetness forming in her eyes.

Tsukushi rolled off of the couch onto the floor to rest beside Yuuki. She nudged Yuuki to rest her head on her shoulder. She tried to play off Yuuki's insecurities as just another one of her episodes, but she it was too painfully obvious the signs of her breaking point were coming into view. "Shh," she chided when Yuuki tried to brush her off. "It's okay to feel this way. Sometimes the past catches up to us and we can't do anything, but ride it out."

Yuuki rubbed at her eyes fighting to keep strong. In her own opinion, she had already shown a bit too much of the deep emotional scars that remained with her. They could never be erased, but rather just concealed beneath the façade of sweet innocence. It was all a lie. She knew what she had done, but when looking back, it felt more like it was another person who did those things, as if she had no control over her actions. It was a coward's excuse, but she believed it. It was the only thin thread of dignity that held her together, a conviction that was only as solidified as her body's compulsion to breathe.

"It was just that night... The way he looked... It was the same way he would see me when he..." The rest of her garbled sentence was cut off by thee soft choke of breath that fell from her lips.

"You don't have to talk about him if you don't want to."

"It just won't go away," she weakly screamed clutching her head in her hands. She slumped over resting her head on her knees huddling into a ball.

Tsukushi remained silent fully understanding what that feeling was. The dreams never did stop. That kind of thing was common when you are violated in such a way. Everyone can tell you to just forget and move on, but the mind refuses to forget. To forget would be worse than to remember because that would really be the easy way out. That night haunted her for years although she never told any of them that. Only a select few, Rui and Shizuka, knew the full extent to her supposed night terrors. At one point when the nightmares had reached an awfully bad spell, she had been the one to wake up her child with her frantic screams in the middle of the night. The guilt to her own weakness only added to her burden. What kind of mother would emotional scar a child with her blood curdling screams in the middle of the night?

"Thomas was really worried about you," she awkwardly brought up. "He quickly dropped by the other day. He told me not to tell you that he came by, but he was really worried. I told him it wasn't my place to tell him, but I do hope that one day you can trust him enough to tell him about it. It might help you to have someone else in this world to confide in."

"He must think I'm a basket case." Her mind was reeling at the memory of the numerous times she had woken him up sobbing in her sleep. He had been forced to shake her to wake up and held her through the night depriving himself of sleep until she fell into her own fitful slumber. "I don't want him to see me differently. He deserves to know after what I've put him through the last few days." The grim look on her face hid none of the hesitation she felt.

"Thomas would never be one of those people to pity you. He's never pitied me or treated me any differently after the incident."

"I'm not strong like you."

"I never said I was."

"If even you can't get past something like that how can I tell him about myself?"

"You can't run from your past. It's your past that shapes your present and will lead you into your future."

Tsukushi grimaced at the different turn Yuuki had taken to deal with her problems. While she personally had Susumu to pull her through that rough time, Yuuki had no one. It wasn't just once for Yuuki. She had been abused for years, stripped of her innate sense of right and wrong to the point where she didn't even fathom or realize what was going on. And she had hidden it all so well. So well in fact, that Tsukushi never had any idea of what the girl's life was like until the small slip up on her part revealing just how badly scarred for life she was. There had been too many mistakes, too many hurts, but somehow and thankfully, Yuuki had been given a second chance. They knew at the time she probably would never emotionally heal from it all, but one can't be too choosy when salvation is offered. Life was always the better option than self-destruction.

"I know it hurts. If I could I would take your pain for myself, but you have to face the fact that he was a monster and he hurt you. Don't blame yourself for the things he did to you. Don't blame yourself for the desperate acts of foolishness you took. You know better than back then. That is what counts."

"It only hurts more that I can't bring myself to hate him for what he did to me."

"I know... I know," Tsukushi managed to half-heartedly agree. In her own mind, she would have killed the bastard. Then again, the choice to hate was so much harder for her friend. For all the horrible crimes he had ever committed against her, he was the reason that she was even here.

"How can I ever tell him it was my father?"

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A/N: So, I went wayward with my intended chapter plot, but Yuuki and Thomas somehow took the spotlight away from everyone. There's also the fact that if I kept going the chapter would have ended up being about 50 pages. On the plus side, I have about a 20 of the next chapter done. I see another update in the horizon.


	17. 17

Chapter 17

Somehow between the tears and the self-pity, Tsukushi and Yuuki both to have their well deserved cathartic breakdowns. Sakurako fell into a deep slumber after being drained from all the venting, which was to be expected from the draining emotional rollercoaster she had been circling over and over in.

Groggily, Tsukushi woke up with bleary eyes trying to distinguish the numbers on the clock on her nightstand. Her clothes were disheveled and wrinkled from off angle she had fallen asleep in. seeing that is was only six in the morning, she rolled over onto her back. Her mind and body both protested in pain at the lingering aches.

Staring at the ceiling grateful for the almost moment of solitude, she thought about a lot of things. Some were happy, and some were not so much, but yet she felt the familiar warmth of the tears drying on her face. Yuuki always had that effect on her. Once she started crying, she could make anyone else start. Then the damn waterworks wouldn't end. Her hand brushed against her cheeks to wipe away the annoying moisture.

It had been years since she thought about that night. Somewhere in her mind, he had lost all the distinguishing features that used to haunt her dreams. Now all he seemed to be was a shadowed figure lost to her memory over time. He embodied everything she feared in the world, all her pain, and the reason for her sadness.

In retrospect, she always did believe that in life things happen for a reason. No matter how much you can attempt to decry that fact, in its own cosmic way, the world goes on in some preordained map. Good things will happen. Bad things will happen. All in all, life will go on. And that was one of the reasons, why she lay in her bed pondering over the plastic tube in her hand. It was a dream that had long been forgotten, but perhaps everything that had occurred recently was a sign that the time was now.

The thought alone scares me shitless.

But things were falling into place. While everything else in the puzzle could fall apart, the wheels were in motion for another part of her universe. With a loud groan, she got up form the floor and walked over to the closet in her room to pull out a blanket to drape over Yuuki as she slept on the couch. She paused momentarily to check whether her movements had disrupted her, but apparently not. Tsukushi shook her head to fight off the heady feeling from her crying, and managed to shake some sense into her foggy head.

The top of the canister came off with a soft pop, and the contents were spilled out onto the ground. Large sheet of rolled up papers spilled out onto the ground unraveling before her eyes.

What were you thinking, Susumu?

Fingers brushed against the detailed drawings of the familiar floor plan sketched out. The date in the corner marked the inception of the idea had been put to paper many years prior, perhaps to even a few months after the conception of the club. Tsukushi didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the endeavor. This would be the final phase of something that had taken years to get to. She wasn't even sure if Shizuka knew about the architectural blueprints that were hidden away in the storage unit of the basement. He always did have some strange sense of foresight. She pursed her lips studying his familiar cursive script at the top of the plans naming his less than small project as if it were some covert military mission.

There's no better time that now. What more do we have to lose than everything? I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

Her resolve was in place, and there was no turning back. Everything was going to change and whether it would be for the better or for worse, no one could determine. Perhaps if she knew sooner how many more tears would be shed, the emotions that would arise, and the strain on their fragile existences, she would have taken another look at the available options.

Tsukushi would have taken a longer look at the floor plans, but the muffled sounds of footsteps approaching would not give her that. Gathering what little was left of her courage, she stood up from her position on the ground. Ready to face the world with the same steadfast conviction she had held so firmly, she went to face it all- head on.

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Rui was the first to walk in carrying a comatose Kaya. Somewhere in the middle of the fudge brownie layer of her sundae last night, she had seemed to pass out into a sugar coma last night. He winced at the probable tummy ache that would bother her this morning; therefore, causing Tsukushi to deal finding a way to soothe their daughter's upset stomach. He had been in that similar situation the after first night she stayed with him after he let her indulge in a bit too much. The little girl moaned and groaned her way through the rest of the next day complaining at the icky feeling.

Yes, he spoiled her rotten. But that was where the lines were drawn in his role in her life. With such a low maintenance child, he never had to experience the normal toddler tantrums, sulking, screaming, and crying most children were prone to. Oddly enough, Kaya had this way about her that charmed most people into giving her what she wanted while maintaining a certain degree of boundaries. His thumb brushed the small amount of drool coming from her mouth, and he cracked a small grin in amusement at how beautiful she was. She hadn't changed much from the baby he would sit and stare at for hours napping in her bassinet. Each and every day, his heart grew a bit bigger filled with more love and adoration for her. But sadly enough, he resigned himself to his status in the scheme of things.

I'm the part time father. I spoil her rotten with my candied kisses and can do no wrong wishes because in my eye she is the world, and everyone and everything revolves around her.

"She's really knocked out there. I assume you loaded her up on enough sugar to put her into a coma," a voice called out bringing him out of his revelry.

"Sorry," he whispered. "You know how Sakurako can come up with the wildest concoctions. I'm surprised she isn't diabetic with the amount of sugar she was packing in. Kaya here was closing on as a close second."

She giggled knowing it was probably true. "You can put her in her room if you want? She must be getting heavy."

She walked ahead of him to open the bedroom and door and stepped aside to let him enter. Tsukushi pensively watched him carefully place the sleeping bundle onto the bed. He worked with a practiced ease propping her up in a sleeping position to change her out of her pajamas. Kaya barely even noticed as she mumbled incoherently as he moved her arms in the air to pull a nightgown over her head. She slumped down into the soft mattress with a slight nudge falling like a dead weight.

"She's out for the count."

"Yeah, she probably won't be up for a few hours. I would prep myself for her to wake up in a few hours with a stomachache. She's going to come down from that high sometime."

"Thanks for the heads up. I usually just give her a warm glass of milk and rub her tummy. That makes her feel better most of the time."

"I know, she told me that you do that when she doesn't feel good. This parenting thing comes so easily to you, doesn't it?" He gazed down at his daughter brushing away her bangs from her forehead. His lips fell down onto the smooth skin kissing it. "Almost doesn't seem fair that I have to fumble around a bit."

Tsukushi stepped into the room picking up the scattered dolls on the floor and throwing them into an empty laundry basket. She made a mental note to straighten the place up the next day to return all of the items to their appropriate places. She knelt down on the ground on the opposite side of the bed to face him from across. Tugging the blanket under her Kaya's chin, she watched the way Rui was fixated on the sleeping child with an intense fascination.

"It's soothing to watch her sleep, isn't it? I sometimes come here in the middle of the night to just check up on her. I could watch her like this for hours." Brown irises peeked up at him beneath heavy lidded eyelashes. "Parenting is all about the hits and misses, you know? You may make some mistakes along the way, but we all have the best of intentions during the entire ride. It's moments like these that you can just step back and think to yourself what did you ever did to deserve someone like her.

"Yeah, I know."

"Come on." She nodded her head towards the door. Closing the door quietly behind her, she moved back to the couch in t he living room. She tucked her legs beneath her while resting an arm across the back.

Rui copied her position on the opposite end staring intently at her waiting for her to begin whatever it was she needed to say. His eyes would every once in awhile flutter towards Kaya's closed door wondering how much longer she would be asleep or whether now was an appropriate time for them to talk. They had had a past track record of screaming and yelling that put staying calm on the losing end.

"I've been thinking a lot about the way things used to be, ya know? With the way things are going for us now, I don't have many options left. I know I told you I wanted to talk to both you and Shizuka about everything, but I think it was more important to talk about this with you first."

"What exactly do you mean?"

"With the condition of the club, we're going under. I know we've hit some tough patches before, but not quite like this. To even get ourselves out of the red we're talking about sinking pretty low to get the crowds back in. We've probably already lost some credibility with the way we handled the fire and everything. People aren't going to come back so easily knowing that we couldn't handle a fight."

He sighed heavily, pinching at the bridge of his nose with his fingers. "It seems that being left with this place is more trouble than it seems. You know I feel about it. If it were my choice you and Shizuka wouldn't be running the damn place. I mean, yes, it has given us the chance to live comfortably, but don't you ever think it's exactly what is holding us back?"

"You know I can't leave without knowing…"

"I know, but how much longer. How much longer can you two keep the place together? Already it takes up too much of your time you could be spending with Kaya. You can't keep running on empty forever."

"I'm perfectly fine."

"Says the girl denying her hospital stay from exhaustion."

"I was just a little tired," she fought back in exasperation. She knew where the argument was heading. It was always the same one and they very same reasons for why she should let go of it all- to let it all fall apart. "And how did you know? I told Urara-sensei not to mention anything."

"I snuck a peek at your charts. It doesn't exactly take a brain surgeon to figure out that you are overworking yourself. Tell me something. How much sleep do you get at night? When was the last time you didn't spend one day in the club? You've lived and breathed for it, but not one moment was spent living for yourself. Getting a couple of hours of sleep here and there is not going to keep working."

The accusation was dead one, one she could not deny. "You know me all too well," she flippantly agreed. "You never cared this much when I was in the hospital after giving birth to our daughter."

A slew of curses were muttered under his breath. "Don't play the guilt card with me. No matter what I'll always care. Not because of some odd sense of guilt, but because I genuinely care. And don't even try to tell that I'm bullshitting you, because I'm not. I know what I feel, and you can't tell me otherwise."

Perhaps this is what needed to be said. She would be a liar if she completely denied that not once had she missed him. For he knew all of her secrets as she did his. They shared a past breaching past any divide of self. He knew her as well as she knew herself and maybe even more.

"You won't leave me alone, will you," she asked although the answer was obvious. She shook her head in disbelief.

In some ways, there were times like this where she found herself pondering over how little the relationship had changed.

Sometimes they were still the same stupid, scared teenagers.

"Then, I guess, it won't be very hard to show you this." She pulled the tube containing blueprints and the stack of letters she had brought out in the living room. It was decided that an explanation could come after he had inspected the material on his own.

His eyebrows knitted together as he quickly scanned through the letters. Some were postmarked from a few years ago, while the most recent just days ago. He never knew that she still thought about what she had sacrificed and assumed that the chance had passed. But now as he stared down at the imprinted letterhead seal, he realized how dense he was for never considering that she had not forgotten, but merely delayed her plans. The blueprints mapping out the all too familiar layout of the club were even more perplexing. Rui vaguely recalled overhearing talk of these plans, but also, this idea had escaped his mind along with many of the pipe dreams of youth.

"I know I haven't mentioned this since Kaya was born, but there is a lot you don't know about me, Hanazawa Rui." Her fingers brushed down the curling corners of the prints. She averted his attention away from him onto the prints on the table to avoid seeing his reaction.

As much as she was her own person, she would not do this unless it was with his consent. It was all or nothing for them, but she knew the impending marriage of her ex would shift that delicate balance.

Rui swallowed down his surprise and poured through the pages of correspondence. His heart's rapid beating felt like it was about to burst through his chest. But he knew the consequences of his actions either way would weigh heavily on his head. The right choice was obvious.

"I won't hold you back," he stated wondering to himself if she caught that slight tremor in his voice. Though it pained him greatly to do so, he acknowledged the fact that with his own change others would change as well.

Tsukushi's lips curled into a tight-lipped smile. She would not be overly effusive in her elation. To do so, would be cruel.

'Thank you, Rui." Her hand hesitantly fell over his. "I may never have said this, but you are a good man."

His walls fell with the simple knowledge that he had done something truly good for once was completely gratifying. At least the score would start to even out a bit more.

At the same time, Tsukushi was feeling that same heavy burden being lifted from her. All of the years of frustrations and resentment didn't seem all that important anymore. It was rather cathartic to get it out in the open and try to really regain what was lost, not some half-assed attempt they were working with previously. The man who had broken her heart wasn't before her, but someone whom she could look in the eye and respect.

He was her first for many things. Above all, he was her first true friend- her best friend.

"I've missed you, Rui," she breathed grabbing him into a hug. She felt his body tense at the abrupt pull, but soon he relaxed sinking into her embrace. "I'm in if you're in," she laughed into his shoulder.

"I'm in if you're in," he replied chuckling at the very words that had always seemed to bring trouble with them. It was nice to begin to resort back to their light-hearted friendship. The inside joke was just the beginning. "I'm really happy for you, ya know?"

Her palms pressed against his chest, and she looked up into his face. "This has been a long time coming, but I'm sorry. I'm sorry for a lot of things, but know that I am sorry."

He nodded his head admiring her for giving him what he sought for. It wasn't the apology that mattered, but the admittance of her forgiveness that came with it. "I'm sorry, too. Although I have been saying it for the longest time and it took you a pretty damn long time to return the favor."

"You know, I forgave you a long time ago, but the chance to make you miserable seemed so much better,"

"Thanks a lot," he snorted. "I'll remember that the next time you refuse to have a civil conversation with me for five years."

Tsukushi grinned to herself at how nice it was to be in Rui's company like they used to be. Restoring that silly rapport of theirs was especially uplifting. "Then there would have been no point in torturing you." She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. A vague undecipherable expression was one her face. "You're my best friend in this world. Sometimes I love you to death, but most of the time, I hate you to the very core of my soul."

"Well, I guess we better work on switching that loving and hating part around. But we have time for that. Now the question is what will happen to Kaya?"

"I don't really know right now. It sorta depends on what you think, but we have plenty of time to figure it out. Do you even know what you and Shizuka are planning? Are you going to stay here?"

He shrugged his shoulders noncommittally. "Not really. We haven't really discussed what we would do after the wedding. We were aiming for a early spring wedding."

Tsukushi nodded in understanding. "We've always worked best when we wing it. It'll really freak out the others when they actually see us being nice to each other. We might give them some heart attacks."

"Who cares? Like they haven't mooched off the drama of our fucked up lives long enough. From what I've seen, they are going to put a new spin on dysfunctional."

"We do have such interesting friends."

At that moment, the front door swung open with a rattle of the walls at its forceful opening. Tsukasa stumbled through the door bleary eyed and semi-incapacitated. His hands fumbled for the walls as a guide to his room. Not even sparing a single hello, but a mutter of "I'll kill Akira" was heard.

"You don't have to be so grumpy!" Akira cheerily shouted bursting in behind him and shutting the door. His enthusiasm for the early hour was irritatingly offensive. His off key singing only worsened his intrusion.

"Did you manage to speak to him about what he said in front of our daughter?" Tsukushi inquired.

"Nope. I know he listens to you more than me."

Tsukushi sighed to herself and pushed herself off the couch. A few minutes later a screeching sound could be heard from the hallway as she dragged the offender inside by the ear. "Put this stuff into my room for me, please? I think we need to have a little chat about your run away mouth."

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"Damn! Do you think this ringing in my ear will go away any time soon?" Akira winced as his fingers brushed over his bruised ear. A nagging ringing sound echoed in every sound he absorbed as a reminder to Tsukushi's lecture about appropriate behavior in front of impressionable children.

"I serves you right, idiot," Rui announced not caring for his incessant whining. He picked up another case of liquor and loaded it onto the trolley. He grunted when the cardboard handle ripped straight through. "Fuck! Are we almost done?"

"Yeah, Akira, are we almost done?" Tsukasa groaned. His muscles ached from all the moving they were doing as of late.

"We've just got to move the rest of those boxes over there and were through for the day."

At this point, they had practically become slave labor moving things here and there to make room before the construction crew was ordered in to make repairs. They were all left in a wondering limbo as to what Tsukushi was planning. The only direct orders she had given Akira were to remove anything that was salvageable. Another predicament was the latest lack of cohesion among the group. All the girls went off on their own. Yuuki had seemed to disappear off the face of the earth with only Thomas as a means to her whereabouts. Sakurako was also being quite mysterious doing whatever it was she did. Tsukasa briefly recalled Tsukushi mentioning that practically everyone had second jobs that they took on during their off time when available. While they offered their time to the club helping out in any way, they still weren't reprimanded for needing to work elsewhere. Soujiro had taken to working at a few other clubs tending bar to make rent for the month. Kin was taking the time to spend with his wife. Tsuyoshi went off to play for another band that offered him a temp spot. As for everyone else, they were spotted here and there running in and out of the club to briefly check in before going off to their other lives.

Something wasn't right and it was obvious. The more time the club remained closed, the more distant and lonely he felt. He had come to rely on the motley group as a group of friends he would see everyday. Now everything was so jumbled and confusing like it was all going to fall apart.

Sighing to himself, Tsukasa chucked the last box onto the trolley and called it a day. "Look, guys, I'll see you later. I'm going back home." The grunts that were followed were enough proof that his loss would not be great.

Grabbing his shirt on the way out, he stepped out into the bright afternoon sun. Not caring much for his current state, he tossed his shirt over his head and walked down the street to stop by the nearby convenience store to pick up a soda. It felt strange to be wandering aimlessly on a Thursday afternoon. Usually he would have been busy setting up for the late night onslaught of businessmen hoping to get hammered before the Friday grind the next day. It had been two weeks since the accident and the free time was getting to him.

It was sad to say he even missed the drunken suits.

"I must be going insane," he muttered to himself.

"Talking to yourself is the first sign," a voice laughed from behind him.

Tsukasa spun around to retort with a rather nasty comment to the intruder on is own private conversation but stopped himself when he came face to face with Shizuka. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Same here," she shrugged. Her hands played across the glass of the refrigerator case. The tip of her tongue darted out at the side of her mouth as she inspected its contents. Finally making her choices, she opened the door letting the cool air hit her arm as she grabbed for cans and bottles before tossing them into her basket with some random snacks. "I thought you would still be working in the club. You seem to be there as much as Akira and that is a long time."

"Well, I've got nothing much else to do." Tsukasa silently watched her place the items into her basket taking a slow look at the woman beside him. He thought to himself that this was one of the few times he had ever spoken to her. Considering she spent relatively little time in the club only performing a few nights a week, their interaction was kept to a minimum.

"So, how are things going for you?' She closed the door and looked up at him with expectant eyes. "I haven't really had a chance to talk to you much."

"Things are going okay, I guess," he shyly answered. There was something about her that unnerved him. They way she acted and spoke reminded him much of the girls he had been acquainted with in his previous lifestyle. It was obvious that Shizuka was the type to fit into a higher society than her current set of acquaintances. At times, it almost seemed she was obviously in the wrong place. "I don't really know what to do with myself with no work to do."

She laughed at his simple answer while nodding at him to follow her to the counter to pay for her items. "Trust me, you should enjoy it now. Once the club gets back to running order you'll be begging for a break like this."

"Do you know when we'll be reporting back to regular work?"

Her hand stopped in midair reaching for the last can hesitating for a moment to think of an answer. She turned to him after handing the clerk a few bills and smiled uneasily. "I really don't know." The frustration was evident in her voice laced with a bit of annoyance.

"I didn't mean to bug you about it or anything." He recoiled fully realizing that he probably had hit a nerve.

"No, forget about it," she hastily answered. She grabbed a soda from her grocery bags and tossed it at him. Take one. I'll see you around, okay." A quick retreat was made on her part.

Tsukasa groaned wondering what the hell was going on. He popped open his soda chugging down its contents. His eyes lingered around the store observing the television in the corner. It must have been just his luck that the day would worsen when an image of his mother appeared on the television as the news anchor reported the news of an upcoming deal his mother had just secured.

"I need to get out of here," he muttered to himself.

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Tsukushi kept a careful eye on Kaya as she skipped along in front of her. She pulled the wagon that was required to carry all of the things they needed. It had been Kaya's idea to get out of the house and go for a picnic, and she was all to willingly ready to oblige. The wheels creaked as they trekked down the path to the lake. The last few days had been relatively quiet, and she had come to enjoy that fact. It wasn't that she didn't adore her friends, but spending practically every day with them does take its toll. She rarely had the option to disappear into seclusion. The only notice that had been given was that that tomorrow they would be having a staff meeting to discuss what would be done about the club.

"Mama! Let's sit here, okay?" Kaya called out staking their spot underneath the shade of a tree by the water.

Tsukushi laughed to herself at how vibrant her daughter had been lately. It was most likely the result of being able to spend this rare time as just the two of them. "It's perfect, baby. Come help me spread out the blanket."

She eagerly grabbed hold of the handle to her wagon and wheeled it to the designated spot before pulling out the old sheet. Tossing it up into the air they laid it down on the ground. Tsukushi took her time removing the contents of the wagon out. Next, came the careful placement of her work materials to the side in a secure place where her papers would not be carried away by a gust of wind.

The lunch was spent in relative ease interrupted by the occasional childish banter Kaya engaged her in. It was rather difficult to keep up with her tales of which friend at school had done this or that, but Tsukushi absorbed every detail.

"Mama! Can I go feed the ducks, too?!" Kaya leapt up from her seat on the ground and pointed to the groups of children feeding the ducks nearby.

Tsukushi breathed a sigh of relief that Kaya had decided to take a breather from all of her stories. She had especially prepared for this moment and pulled the bag of breadcrumbs she had made earlier. "Go ahead, honey. Just don't go too far."

No response was heard except the rustling of the bag being snatched from her hand. A few seconds later the familiar sound of her daughters voice reverberated throughout the quiet park. Tsukushi had to clamp a hand over her mouth to keep from bursting. Kaya had taken to tossing fistfuls of breadcrumbs around herself attracting the ducks to her while jumping in circles squealing, "I am the queen of the ducks! Come my minions!"

She had no idea where she learned that from and choose to justifiably sweetly smile back at the other mothers sending her odd looks at her daughter's antics. It wasn't her fault their children weren't as precocious.

Decidedly picking up her cell phone, she dialed the number she pulled up on her palm pilot and set to work.

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Yuuki sat on her back porch closing her eyes to revel in the light jump in her heart as she rocked back and forth on the porch swing. There was always small rush at each up and downswing in motion. A small smile played on her lips as she looked out into her yard seeing the sight of her garden in front of her. The sunflowers in the back had sprouted and few good feet and would probably bloom in a week or two.

"I thought I would find you back here."

"I was just enjoying the rest of this afternoon," Yuuki sighed. She tipped her head back to acknowledge Thomas.

He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, and devilishly grinning to himself. "I was beginning to worry when you didn't pick up any of my calls earlier."

She waved her hand dismissively while faintly recalling the obnoxious ringing of her phone earlier. While the caller had been persistent, her languor won out in the end forcing her to remain in her spot on the swing. "Sorry," she apologized. "It felt too nice to stretch out here and swing."

He raised an eyebrow at her current position draped over the bench and decided to join her. Picking up her feet and placing them in his lap, he slung his arm over the back and took over the effort in pushing the swing with his feet. "I could just use some time to wind down a bit. I had a full morning of classes."

"Is it really that bad teaching summer school?" she inquired. Her eyes twinkled with playfulness at his slightly forlorn expression.

"Summer and school are two things that just shouldn't go together," he shuddered. "I'll never understand the Japanese mentality of cram school. Summer is meant for kids to run outside and get into trouble, not spending it conjugating verbs and correcting dangling participles."

"I once dated a guy who went to one of those schools. He was rather boring."

"See! That's my point exactly! School drains the life out of the youth!"

"I think you are more upset that you have to be there with them than for their own sake,' she laughed.

"Well, that could be a large part of my disdain." He innocently tapped his index finger on his chin contemplating over that idea. "Sounds about right."

"It's nice to see that you take your job so seriously."

He sighed leaning back on the balls of his feet pushing the swing back and letting it go into a more forceful rocking motion. "It's not what I really planned on doing with my life. Sometimes it's just the way things work out. It's sorta like how I just got a call from my sister this morning about finding out there's going to be a second baby on the way. I find it hard to believe she's already got one and another on the way. I never imagined her as the type to settle down and have kids. She was always the power hungry one that would most likely conquer corporate America. Now all she does is work from home as a consultant. Life always knocks you over in unexpected ways."

"So, where did you think you would be?"

"I dunno," he mumbled. "I guess, I always thought I would have made it by now in the music industry. I would have been on my third album, and maybe even married or at least in a committed relationship."

"Well, we are working on one of those." Yuuki nudged him in the side with her toe.

"What the album?' he asked.

"The committed relationship part," she grinned. "Sakurako is starting to act a little strange lately. I wonder why."

"Oh that," he groaned. "Don't even get me started on that. I called her to ask if she wanted to catch a movie before I came here. Of course, she had better things to do."

Yuuki put her hand on his shoulder squeezing it. "She really might have been busy. I think she went back to working at the studio. She mentioned something about asking about any spare classes during our hiatus."

"Maybe you're right," he weakly smiled.

He itched to ask her about what was going on within that head of hers, but it always seemed the right moment never appeared. After that Tsukushi's homecoming party, she had barely spoken about her small bout of depression. The last few remnants of that spell lingered, but she was slowly becoming a less melancholy and more like her cheerful self. He recognized that if she wanted to tell him she would, and it was okay with him.

"So, what about Soujiro?"

"What about him?" he snorted. "The guy has barely spoken to me in days. It would make a person think he was avoiding them like the plague."

"I dunno. He could just be busy."

"Apparently not busy enough to bring home a different girl every day this week."

"Ouch! Maybe we should stop talking about him. Looks like our plan isn't really working out as well as we expected."

Yuuki shook her head to vigorously deny that. "It is more or less, but not in the way we thought it would. At least we can enjoy each other's company," she smiled. "Come on, I'm not that bad to be around, am I?"

"Not at all." He stood up and offered a hand to her to lift her form her seat. "So, how does a movie and dinner sound?"

"Sounds good." She turned to lock the door, and wrapped her arm around his to walk around the house to the front where his car was parked. "Ya know, you make a pretty good date. It's nice to be treated once in a while by a handsome man."

"Only handsome? I would have preferred devastatingly handsome, maybe even down right sexy." He wiggled his eyebrows lasciviously.

And that gesture earned him a slap on the arm. "Don't push your luck."

She had been doing a lot of thinking lately about the two of them. There was a certain chemistry between them that could flourish into more if they tried. It wouldn't be one of those relationships of epic proportions that would devastate either of them if it ended, but it still was rather nice. The kiss that they shared was neither mentioned nor ignored. At times, they would find themselves blushing at a careless brush of skin against skin. In its own innocent way, it was exhilarating for both of them to find these newly developing feelings. If only they could overlook those stubborn infatuations with other people. And that always brought her back to the main reason why she didn't bring up the kiss. They were already playing with fire, but to add a growing attraction to their co-conspirator would alter all of their plans to the point of even giving them up all together.

"What are you thinking about?" Thomas asked as he buckled himself into the seat. The car engine purred to life.

"Nothing much," she breathed. "Nothing much at all."

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It was all purely coincidental. It really was. His days had become full of boredom since school ended. The offers to go hang out and party were many, but it was all well and good to fill up the night. However, the days were empty and lacking in anything to pique his interest. On the other hand, there was very little that interested other than a certain woman that had captured it.

That was the exact reason why Kazuya found himself walking past through the park towards Tsukushi's apartment. Normally, he wasn't this obsessive about being turned down. Most of the time he sucked it up and moved on. But there was just something about her that fascinated him. Ever since he saw her that first day, he knew there was something special about her.

He checked his cell phone one more time in hopes that she had returned any of his messages he had left the past few days. To his avail, the inbox was empty. He shook his head trying to figure out what kind of messages she was sending him. One minute she says she wants to be friends and gives him her number, the next she refuses to return any of his calls.

Yes, his friends would probably be laughing their asses of for acting like such a whimpering simpleton. Most guys would have just laughed off the dismissal citing her as a lost cause.

With that very thought on his mind of giving up, he called one last time. His heart thumped in rhythm to each ring of the phone. He silently prayed that she would answer.

When the sound of her voice asking he caller to leave a message came on, his heart sank as well as any of his dignity. Not even bothering to leave a message, he hung up.

I'll give her another day… or two.

At that very same moment, Tsukushi heard her personal cell phone vibrating in her bag. She glanced down at the shaking bag debating whether or not to answer it. Some part of her told her it was probably one of the girls calling her about something, and the prospect of having to listen to Sakurako endlessly babble about her newfound liking to Tsukasa or Yuuki's indecision over Soujiro repelled her from that idea. If anything was a life or death situation, they would have called her work number on the other phone.

"Go away," she grumbled before kicking the bag away with her foot.

She laid back on the blanket beside a napping Kaya. Her hand reached over to brush the hair out of her face as she watched the steady rise and fall of her chest. After the earlier incident of one of the ducks deciding to become psychotic and attacking her, thus chasing her with its hell bent intentions of getting a good bite out of her, she thought it would have taken longer to calm her down. It was only with the passing of a few tears, muffled sobs, and the promise to never chase after ducks while quacking and swinging her arms in a rendition of flight did she tire herself out into a deep slumber.

Yeah, that last part about chasing after the ducks wasn't very smart. She recalled her own childhood trauma involving pigeons. To this day, she still could not walk past a pigeon without shuddering.

Pushing that thought aside, she stared up into the thick brush of branches and leaves above her. The sunlight filtered down on them in an intricate crocheted pattern letting its rays filter in streams through the cracks and crevices. She winced as she turned a bit to feel a rock jab her in the side irritating her already damaged ribs. The doctors had already warned her to avoid any strenuous or sudden movements to allow the bones to heal.

That brought to mind another little problem she found on her ever-growing list. While she had assumed the call earlier was from one of the girls, she pretty much knew who it was from and it was the very reason she was avoiding answering it. She still hadn't grasped why she gave him the number. Maybe it was the drugs she was one, but whatever reason it was must have had some kind of hope for something.

Tsukushi had never truly wondered much about where her love life had gone. Most of the time, she rationalized that with a daughter at her age, it was only appropriate to remove herself from that part of her life. After all, it just wasn't justifiably right to play with the idea. If any relationship went further, there was almost no possibility of intimacy with her daughter in the apartment. All of those times her mother had brought men to her bed while she lay in her own bed a few doors down, had never really bothered her until she herself experienced what went on behind on those doors. It was disturbing to think she had so blindly ignored her mother's promiscuity.

Then again, a lot of her problems probably had to do with her mother. In a way, she was the min reason she had lost so much control over her own life. It wasn't that she blamed her for her foolishness of getting pregnant or having sex with Rui, but it was more of the emotional aspects that led up to those consequences. The scars were there- emotionally, she never felt quite complete. Her choices had all been based on the inflated ideals of a lovesick teenager trying to avoid the harsh realities she had witnessed her entire life. It was that blatancy that led her to ignore the obvious choices more so.

It was a fear that held her back the most. She had been fooled once into the fancy of romance and all its pretty shiny trimmings. Everything seemed to be perfect with Rui. He was everything she had never encountered in a boy- refined elegance and sophistication overshadowed by intellect. He was perfection personified, and she believed that she could be the same for him. Only she was too caught up in her own fantasies to see that he was just as fucked up in the head as her.

On the plus side, she had pulled herself out of it with some of her dignity intact. She did come to see that one fatal fault in their relationship, the pesky fact that he was in love with someone else.

Next came Akira. Oh god, was the Akira thing a mess in itself. She never thought much about him when she first met him. He was so carefree and reckless about life, and while it was exhilarating to watch him, she didn't even notice the deeper underlying gravity beneath it all. It was that very secret place where his obsession with her had begun. While she had shrugged it off as the same intentions many young men had given her before, she had unknowingly spurred on his interest. He would never let go of that little bit of hope that friendship would become more. Only it was far too late by the time he had made his intentions for her known. She had already walked down the wrong path with the wrong boy.

Sometimes she wondered if Akira had stated his feelings towards her earlier if she would have reciprocated them. He always did have that bout of bad luck in timing. He was always too late for the right things and early for the wrong.

Tsukushi wished that she hadn't screwed it all up by sleeping with him last year. What she had assumed to be a long buried crush was only reinforced by her foolish, drunken actions. She had used him in the worst way possible, and he had let himself be used. It was a two-way relationship of self-destructive sexual deviancy. Sure, the sex had been great. They were both two very passionate people with needs, but passion alone does not guarantee any security.

With Akira, she probably would have found something pretty damn close to happiness. He would have loved her in an unnatural sense, in a way that came out of one's own need for self-fulfillment. The reason she never yielded to his advances was the impending danger that could result from her surrender. He would be settling for a delusion that she could solve all of his problems. What Akira wanted was an instant family, a mock simulation to undo and redo the past all at once. It would have a been a perfect match for him to slide right in and take on the responsibility his guilt ridiculed him with. He could find no solace unless he was to find a place in the capacity of being needed to which he could place a value on his life. Therefore, he pursued the role greatly to give himself meaning.

Akira did love Tsukushi.

And she could have loved him.

He just didn't understand that he loved her as a means to love himself.

It's like the saying of once bitten, twice shy. Well, for her, it took two bites, the kind that take a huge chomp out of your heart and spits it back out at your feet.

Now that leads up to her current potential disastrous relationship with Kazuya. Yes, she was actually on the brink of losing her mind and considering going out with the helpless fool. Maybe it was her weakness of being too nice that was overcoming her, or even the hope, that maybe he would come to realize she wasn't all that great after dating her. Whatever it was, he had managed to weasel his way into that area of thoughtful consideration.

Damn him and his cute little rambling messages.

She had listened to every single one of them. While Yuuki had warned her a bit on the copious amounts of them being a sign of stalking obsession, both she and Sakurako, had agreed that his small one-sided conversations with his voicemails had been cute. There was a bumbling attraction about him.

He sure as hell wasn't like any of the other men she had been with. Rui had always been independent and aloof about his feelings. Akira had been overly confident in his own. Both men were never scared or intimidated in any way by her. But here, she had Kazuya who was acting like a shy sixteen-year old boy asking the girl he likes to the school dance. She had to give him credit for being persistent. He was absolutely nothing like the previous men.

That was another reason for her to give him a call back. She knew that there were very few chances in life to meet a nice guy like him. They rarely came around in the environment she lived in. She wasn't a complete idiot to not check up on his background either. A call to Hiro under the impression to ask him about his upcoming wedding plans and a congratulations had allowed her to grill him for some information. After all, Kazuya was close enough to him to be asked to be one of the many groomsmen in the bridal party.

Her brother had not been very foolish in choosing his friends. They were some of the most loyal bastards out there. Each and every one of them had vowed on his grave to protect what he had painstakingly made for himself. They were all good men, and over the years, she had come to rely on a favor or two from each of them to help her out through some rough patches. Hiro was one of them. Although they had lost touch after he had moved out of Tokyo a few years ago, he still warmly welcomed her phone call and remembered to ask about the welfare of her baby now a grown little girl. Susumu was a good judge of character, and she respected his friends words as truth and honorable.

So, it was the very abrupt halt to her interrogation that led him to disclose the fact that indeed Kazuya was very smitten by her. When Kazuya had discovered Hiro's tie to Tsukushi a few days after the accident, he had taken the same set of actions she did in checking out her background. While Hiro had kept the information to the vague minimum as he had done for both sides, he did give Tsukushi one extra piece of advice. It was that Kazuya was a good guy that she could trust and that if he in any way discredited himself he would beat the living shit out of him along with a few other guys that would gladly take on Susumu's brotherly duties.

And so, she gathered up her courage and did the very thing she had dreaded doing all week. She dialed the number, held it up to her ear, and took a very deep calming breath hoping she didn't make a total ass out of herself.

Maybe once, just this once, she could have a relationship without totally screwing it up.

"Hello," a grumble roared on the other end after the third ring.

"Umm… hi. Is this Kazuya?" she meekly asked. Her heart was pounding through her chest, and she second guessed herself on whether she dialed the correct number.

"Tsukushi?" Kazuya asked in shock. Suddenly the bad mood that had settled over him lifted and the world was looking like a much better place. The sky was suddenly an endless blue. The birds were singing a happy song. "Why are you… I mean… What the…" he stuttered. He took a deep breath and attempted to keep himself in check hoping to put on the façade of being completely in control and indifferent. "I didn't expect you to call."

That was good, he mentally noted to himself. He looked around to check that no one was around to see his internal struggle to speak coherently to a girl. Deciding to quell the small adrenaline rush pulsing through him, he continued to walk through the park.

Tsukushi wondered to herself what exactly had been the reason for her calling. Now that she had actually called, she realized she hadn't planned ahead in terms of what to say. There was little other choice than to wing it. She bit her lip, and thought up of something to say.

"I'm sorry I haven't had the time to return any of your calls. I got the flowers you sent, though. I just wanted to say thank you."

It was a good save. She congratulated herself in remembering that he had sent flowers to her home a week ago, which now sat prominently as the centerpiece on the dining room table.

"It was really nothing," he blushed. He nervously scratched the back of his head feeling utterly foolish for reacting to her voice in such a manner. "I was walking past the florist and saw a guy walking out with a bouquet. It was pretty nice, so I thought you might like one. You know, as a get well thing." At least he had the luck to be out of her view while he shoved both feet into his mouth.

Ladies and gentlemen, step back as I attempt the impossible, two, I said two feet in one mouth.

While his choice of words weren't exactly helping his cause, Tsukushi accepted them as just another fluke due to his bad case of tongue twisting in her presence. "Umm… yeah.

In response to that Kazuya proceeded to bang his head against the nearest tree silently berating himself.

"What's that noise?"

"Oh, nothing. I think some kids were throwing rocks at a tree."

"Where are you?"

"At the park."

That certainly got her attention. Sure, there were plenty of parks around the city and he could be any single one of them. And then, she spotted him not so far away hitting his head against a tree.

"Oh really?' she asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah…" he drawled out.

"Can you turn to you left?"

He cringed at the thought that she had just witnessed any of his idiocy. A fear crept up in him wondering how much damage had been done or whether or not now would be a good time to make a run for it citing it as a stranger she must have seen. But he was a very brave man to turn his head and come eye to eye with the other person on the line.

"Hi." Tsukushi waved keeping what must have looked like a wary smile on her face. "Fancy meeting you here."

Yes, things were looking up for Kazuya. The powers that be wanted to really fuck with him, and they were doing a real bang up job on that front. Then, they really decided to do him a big favor. He dropped his phone in shock and fumbled to bend over to pick it up. Coincidentally, when his foot moved forward the tip of his shoe collided with the phone sending it a few feet away from him landing with a small 'plop' into the lake.

Now was the time to lose it. "GODDAMIT!"

When parents and caretakers generally take children to the park, they feel reassured that it's a safe environment to bring their children to for some well monitored good ole clean fun. Generally, it's a child friendly place to be. That was until a certain flustered man decided to scream expletives at the top of his lungs while glaring daggers at his cell phone floating away in the lake in front of him and then yell himself hoarse to end it all by banging his head some more on a tree.

Kaya woke up at the sound of yelling. Sleepily, she sat up rubbing at her eyes with the back of her hands. Her mind barely registered the garbled use of colorful language being broadcast. All she saw was the horrified, yet amused expression on her mothers face, the ghastly shock on the adults around them covering children's ears, and the snickering of children watching the funny man hit his head on a tree. "What's going on, Mama? Why is that man so angry?"

Tsukushi didn't know whether to break down in laughter or run in horror. The entire situation was humiliatingly amusing. She mentally slapped herself for finding humor at Kazuya's expense. She turned to Kaya fighting off all the urges to laugh, and calmly told her, "I'm going to be right back. Can you be a good girl and stay right here?"

"Uh huh. Can I have a juice box first?"

"Sure. There should be on in the cooler." Tsukushi took one last fleeting glance at her daughter rummaging through the picnic basket and dashed down the small slope to the lake. She could feel the eyes all on her as she ran towards the man that seemed mentally deranged and appeared to be attempting to cause further damage.

"What did I do? Why? Why? Why?" he chanted over and over again. He barely noticed the pain in his head from the repetitive blows.

"Kazuya," Tsukushi hissed. Her hand fisted the collar of his shirt pulling him away from forming any further physical damage to himself. It was an all too familiar act considering all the times she had to drag Akira away before he really made a total ass out of himself. Then again, those times involved public drunkenness or nudity. Thankfully, Kazuya was neither.

He finally shut up when he felt himself being pushed down to sit on the ground. The knowledge that she was still willing to be seen in public with him was relieving, but his pride was still hurting from the massive blow. He quickly tried to regroup to scrape up any bit of his dignity in site.

Tsukushi blew a wisp of hair out of her face. The situation was now even more awkward with him in the near vicinity of her. All of the reasons she had found to give him a try were rapidly depleting.

Oh god, what have I gotten myself involved with.

Kaya blankly stared from her mother to the strange man, she vaguely recalled as Kazuya. Once again, she shrugged off the oddities of the adults around her. By now, random outbursts like the one she had just witnessed were quite normal to her. It was questionable whether or not that was a positive aspect of her conditioning by the surrounding environment.

She scrambled onto her hands and knees to dig into the picnic basket and finally pulled out a juice box. She offered it to Kazuya who in turn blankly stared at her. "You look like you need this. Soujiro always says that it's easy to tell when a man needs a good drink."

"Thanks," he muttered. The straw popped through the thin tin foil opening and he took a long drag from the straw. His body shuddered in the after effects of a brain freeze from the icy cold juice filtering through his system.

Kaya plopped down beside him and patted him on the back trying to soothe him. "It'll be okay. My Mama always says she attracts weirdos, so I guess, that means you have a pretty fair shot at hanging around her," she rambled.

He stared slack jawed at the little girl wondering to himself if she was actually a five year old. Normally his conversations with children in her age range revolved around topics of playground mayhem or news of latest episode of their favorite cartoons.

"Kaya, why don't you just let Kazuya absorb a bit of what has happened?"

"Okay," she slowly nodded. Abruptly she put down her juice box and leapt up. She hopped from one foot to the other pointing at something down by the lake. "Fernando has his phone!"

"Who is Fernando?" Tsukushi asked. As an after thought she wished she hadn't asked.

"Over there!" she pointed. "He's the duck that attacked Pierre, Noel, and me! I'll get him back. He's getting away with the phone. I'll be back." Kaya grabbed a stick that was about as large as her on the ground and went running like a mad person screaming after a duck waddling at a very brisk pace with a cell phone in its mouth. The stares that were once directed at Kazuya were now redirected at her.

"Oye." Tsukushi slapped her palm against her forehead.

Kazuya was the first one to break out laughing. When you took a few steps out of the situation, it really was quite hilarious. It started with a small snort that turned into a chuckle before it burst out into a full blown gut wrenching laughter. Tsukushi held it back to try to maintain her position as the sane person, but the second her lips began twitching into a smile she completely lost it. It didn't take much with the way Kazuya was rolling around on the ground clutching his stomach.

"I swear, she gets it from her father," she sputtered out in between labored breaths.

"I've never been more freaked out by a child in my life. Are you sure she's just five?"

"We've all found ourselves saying that once or twice about her. Kaya's rather… precocious. She's always had a heightened sense of perception." Her hands fidgeted in her lap as she stared anywhere but directly at him.

"You talked to Hiro, didn't you?"

"Huh?" Momentarily she panicked at the thought of him knowing of her sudden interest in him.

"I got a rather excited call the other day from Ryo about the bachelor party. He practically pissed his pants when he found out it was going to be at your club."

"Oh that, yeah. I couldn't really turn down a favor for Hiro. We go way back. How long have you two been friends with his brother?"

He tapped his finger on his chin counting the years in his head before coming to a decisive answer. "I think for the last ten years. We always hung out together during the summer when his family came to our resort for their summer vacation. He was the one that offered me a place to stay when I moved out here."

Nothing irked her more than to meander around the main topic at hand, which she just wanted to get to. It was probably the building tension and her internal struggle to come to grips with everything going on in her life. A whirlwind chain of events and temporary loss of insanity were all factors contributing to her state of mind. Rationalized logic was failing her rendering her a befuddled mass. She swallowed to moisten her dry mouth.

"Tell me something. Do you really like me that much?"

The question was perplexing coming way out of left field. He choked down the juice he was sipping through the straw. "I thought I made myself quite clear multiple times."

"No, not like that," she admonished. "I mean, seriously, is this thing you have for me real?"

"I… uh… well," he stammered. He took a deep breath to gather his bearings and said what he had been thinking all this time. "Yes. It is if that's the way you want to put it." He silently watched for her reaction not quite liking the way her eyebrows furrowed and she seemed to drift off into her own thoughts. He was about to probe further but the interruption of a cell phone being tossed into his lap distracted him. "My phone!" Kazuya exclaimed.

"Yep," Kaya grinned. She stabbed the stick in her hand into the ground with a victorious grunt.

Tsukushi's previous thoughts drifted away with the intrusion of her daughter. Something in her mother's intuition told her not to ask, and quite frankly, she didn't want to know. A quick glance down to the lake revealed a sulking duck wading back and forth in the water. A few ruffled feathers tuck out in odd angles. It looked like she would have to have another talk with her daughter about duck brutality. Although he did look like a nasty bugger the kind that would snap at the hands of children when they tried to feed him, perhaps Kaya had done the community a great service by teaching the surly duck a lesson.

Kazuya picked up his phone and opened it to pour out a small stream of water that had seeped into it. He sighed to himself resigned with the fact he would be spending some time shopping for a new phone. Tossing it aside, he smiled at Kaya. "It's kind of useless now, but thanks for getting it back."

"It's okay." Kaya plopped down beside him and rubbed her wet hands onto the blanket. She grabbed another juice box and offered a second one to Kazuya. "Fernando was being a real brat today. Usually he's not this naughty."

He shook his head stifling the laughter at her childish insanity. "I bet he was."

"You're day hasn't been going too well huh?" she innocently asked.

"Nope. You see, I keep have this bad habit of making a fool of myself in front of your mother. It seems that I'll never win."

Kaya peered at her mother and then turned to Kazuya. She shrugged her shoulders. "Sometimes it's okay to be an idiot or crazy once in awhile. If we didn't do the wrong thing once in a while life would be boring. Plus, you were kinda funny banging your head on that tree," she added as an afterthought. "Le realite et toi, vous ne vous entendez, n'est-ce pas?"

"It's not polite to say such things," her mother scolded. She sent a pointed glare at her daughter in warning. Tsukushi clamped her hand over her mouth to muffle her giggles. "She's right. I like a little bit of stupid here and there. You don't need to try to be perfect around me all the time. It would get on my nerves."

His hand fell on over his heart in feigned shock. "This can't be right?! What about all the stuff girls are always talking about? You know, the perfect man who knows all the right things to do and say. I always wanted to be that guy for someone." His gaze lingered on Tsukushi to convey his meaning.

In return, Tsukushi leaned into him and ran her fingers through his messy hair to smoothen it. Her lips barely brushed against his ear sending shivers throughout his body only intensified by her whispered words. "I don't need perfect. No one does. But I can say, I think I like you a whole lot more than I should." Casually she pulled away. Her face gave away no hint of the enormity of what she had said. Instead, she pretended nothing had happened and started to pack up her work scattered around her into the wagon.

Kazuya's only reaction to everything was a dumb grin that grew wider with each passing second and the deep rush of warmth flooding through his body creating a slightly blushing tint to his skin.

Kaya studied him carefully with her intense wide eyes. It was a bad habit of hers to be so seemingly innocent, yet so advanced in her train of thoughts. Even at such a young age, she knew that sometimes you have to hide what you really think to adults. While she never held herself back from saying exactly what was on her mind as most children do in their lacking of propriety, she was infinitely blessed with her father's innate sense of perception.

Right now it was telling her that her mother had finally lost her sanity and decided to live, which was the exact reason why she blissfully continued to simply smile and pretend as if she knew nothing of what was going on.

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Rui impassively toyed with the strings of his guitar to get the exact pitch her was looking for. Oddly enough the instrument he least cared for had managed to make it out of the wreckage relatively undamaged. It was just one of his many obsessive compulsive tendencies. At least there was that small glimmer in hope that these idiosyncrasies might be delaying or preventing the deterioration of his mental state. He briefly glanced up taking notice of Shizuka impatiently tapping her pen against the mahogany desk with an anxious apprehension in her normally calm demeanor.

She finally snapped when her pen was tossed onto the desk. The chair was pushed back while her arms folded over her chest in an overly dramatic gesture. "How can you be so calm about all of this?" she asked in exasperation. Curses flew under her breath from the lack of reaction in him. His personality was always something that left a bittersweet taste in her mouth. It changed as much as the direction of the wind.

One moment he was the one having a freak out over the wondering of the subject that Tsukushi wished to breach on with her announcement after her release from the hospital to speak to both of them. Then, soon after he returned to her the next day completely forgetting his previous uneasiness. That was only the second sign that made her wonder what was up Tsukushi's sleeve. It was obvious she had put Rui's worries at ease, but neither offered her any further explanation as to what their conversation consisted of. All she got form Rui was a silly smile on his face and the reassuring words that she had nothing to worry over.

But oh how wrong he was. Shizuka wasn't an idiot. Something told her that the news most likely had something to do with a clandestine agreement the two women had secretly come to some years ago. No one was privy to the terms of the agreement except for the two binding it. It was an act of blind faith in the other to verbally agree to the terms, but it seemed that the time to seek the end of their bargain would be coming up soon.

"It doesn't do you any good to stress out this? If I knew any better it might seem that you are scared of Tsuksuhi." He lowered his guitar onto the empty seat next to him, and stared intently at her never breaking eye contact. "Everything is going to be fine. If Tsukushi and I can make some sort of truce to forgive me, I'm pretty sure she has stopped pondering over methods of giving you an excruciatingly painful death. She could at least do that for me. Anyway she did offer me her blessing on our engagement. I know it's killing you to know what we discusses, but it is great news, baby."

A wary laugh emitted from her lips. "Gee, that sounds so much better when you say it like that." She absently twisted her engagement ring around her finger. The stone shimmered under the light from the lamp over the desk.

If only you knew the truth, Rui. I know exactly what she wants to talk about. She's picking up the pieces of her life he shattered, and now, she'll live for herself to stand on her own two feet. Nothing can bind either of us to this life anymore. But freedom comes with a price. Am I really ready to let it go? Tsukushi might be able to face the reality of this, but I don't know if I am.

She stiffened when arms reached out from behind her resting on her waist. The last thing she needed was for him to be reassuring that things were going to be fine. In her mind, fine was far where they stood. There was no doubt in her mind that the man holding her loved her beyond belief, but even he had his limits. So, many times he had pleaded with her to just be done with this life and move on, but a simple lie had silenced those pleas. She had made used poor judgment to make a choice that could rip them apart. And she refused to be the one to rectify that mistake.

"Things always work out for us in the end," he breathed. His lips descended on the top of her head.

It amused her to some extent how it was so long ago that she was the one to tell him those exact same sentiments. Back then he was still at eye level with her instead of towering over her by at least a good head. "If only I could believe you."

The opening of the door shattered the precarious tranquility. Shizuka sucked in a deep breath and held it.

Tsukushi was caught off guard by the show of affection going on between Rui and Shizuka. She had to mentally chide herself to refrain from the automatic insult that usually came out when she saw them in those positions. A long time ago, there was a time when it was her brother holding that woman in his arms. It was also a long time ago when she was blind to a lot of things.

She shuffled the papers in her arms and confidently strode into the room with a mumbled apology. Her hair had fallen out of the sloppy bun she twisted it into letting tendrils of hair fall into her face. When she finally looked up from her seat at the desk, she picked up an envelope and handed it to Rui. "I had to make a quick stop at my lawyer's office."

"Why? Is something wrong?" Shizuka hurriedly asked.

Rui shared the same look of concern on his face was they watched Tsukushi rifle through the papers dumped onto the desk.

"Nope. Let me just find what I'm looking for. Here it is!" she shouted pulling out a red folder at the bottom of the stack. "I need you to sign where it's marked off, Rui."

He warily eyed her checking for signs as to what she was planning. He had put his faith in her and signed the document without bothering to think about reading them over. As an afterthought he decided to ask anyway, "What did I just sign?"

To this Tsukushi smiled even wider. "Congratulations, Hanazawa Rui. You are now the proud legal guardian of our daughter."

"Wha?" he gasped in disbelief. "What are you talking about? What did I just sign?"

She handed him a copy of the documents before further explaining. "This is in keeping up with my side of the agreement. We both have a say in what happens to Kaya." Her eyes softened noting the traces of disbelief and joy in Rui. "I always regretted that Susumu made you sign those papers. What we," she paused. "What we said that day was out of the heat of the moment. I know you didn't mean to do something that stupid. Now I'm giving you back your chance."

His eyes scanned the paperwork in front of him shaking in his trembling hands. The entire process seemed almost too easy. Although it was unnerving how relatively simple it was to give up all rights or take back the rights to your own child he wasn't about to turn down the chance to get back his daughter. Tsukushi was true to her word when she wanted nothing to stand between them any longer. He stiffly walked towards the desk, yanked her up from her chair, and hugged the life out of her. Even if he could get them out no words were needed.

Tsukushi gasped for air as she patted Rui on the back trying to calm all of the emotions going through his head. This was just another act that she was required to fulfill in the list of many. She was going to set things straight before they went to hell. And the first place was to mend the severed ties between herself and the father of her child. If there was any chance she could make it out of this thing alive, she needed Rui to back her up.

"Umm… I think now would be a good time to discuss why I needed to talk to both of you," she started.

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A steady stream of smoke flew from her lips as she lackadaisically gazed out at the street to her side. She tilted her head from side to side to get the kinks out. It had been an especially rough day with the sudden private lessons he got lassoed into teaching. The last time she had gotten such a work out had not been for some time, and the idea of aching muscles the next day seemed plausible in her near future. She looked down at her watch realizing that she had to leave in a few minutes.

"Once day I'm going to get you to quit that nasty habit of yours," a voice admonished.

Sakurako turned her head to face a thin middle- aged woman. From the stern look on her face, she wasn't exactly pleased at what she had decided to do with her time when she said she was going outside for some air. Lately, a lot of people of had been giving her that look. Sometimes it seemed the world was against her in every possible way. The cigarette was smashed a few times against the brick wall of the building before being carelessly tossed onto the ground.

A victorious smirk crossed the woman's lips. "Someone in your position should be taking care of their body. We don't want any of the kids to see you out here being a bad example. The body is like a temple for a dancer. You of all people should know that."

"I don't really give a fuck," she lazily replied. She already knew which speech was about to come out. She spoke up before it went into a full out lecture. "I promise I won't smoke in front of the students, okay. I've been trying to cut back, Hitomi."

Hitomi sighed to herself. She knew that Sakurako was a tough one to break. But in her eyes it was sadly unfair that someone who showed so much promise would throw it all away and let her aspirations fall to indolence. At her age when one comes to realize that they have reached their maximum potential and let the dreams fade into something more tangible and real, there was a dull throb in her heart to see one of her former students surrender to life. She thought that giving her some space might have let her grow into the maturity that was needed to devote oneself to the craft, but it backfired on her. Even after secretly sending the audition tape without her knowledge and the aftermath of the acceptance letter leading to the horrible argument afterwards, did not help her case much.

Sakurako was just another one of those people that wanted to fall through the cracks and be forgotten. She viewed her hard earned work as nothing more than a curse to her. While it plagued many aspects of her life, it was something she could neither deny nor forget.

"How was the new student?" she asked deciding to let the subject of smoking drop.

Sakurako snorted to herself at the memory of her earlier lesson. It was an utter disaster. She hated girls like her- rich prima donnas who believed that they were god's gift to dancing. If the girl wanted to make it into the ABT, she was going to have to work her ass off. "Dreadful really. She has most of the technique down, but a bit too well. It looks almost mechanical. And don't even get me started on that look on her face when she goes through the routine. It looks like she's permanently constipated. Her classical variation needs a ton of work. The pirouette exercises look good. The petit allegro and grand allegro are a polished, but they could still use some more work. Don't even get me started on her adagio in the center." She lowered her head staring down at her worn pair of ballet slippers. The tears in the satin glared back at her in silent alarm that they were another pair needing to be chucked before the end of the day.

Hitomi placed her fingers beneath Sakurako's chin tapping it to make her look up. "That is why I told her parents and her that they needed to see you if Hana had any chance of getting into the American Ballet Theatre. I agree that the girl needs to work more on her attitude than anything to begin with, but I assumed you would be able to handle her better than me. Why would she want to learn from a retired dancer who never made it to principal? They would rather go with a someone who was offered the position of first soloist in her first year."

"Don't with me on that one. Just because I told you once about my stupid childhood ambition to dance with the ABT doesn't mean that I still do. I still haven't completely forgiven you for sending in that audition tape." She turned her head away to stare off into the distance once more. One of her feet scraped at the concrete beneath her as she became lost in thought. "Ballet was never really my own dream. It's ironic that at the last minute I realized that it wasn't what I wanted. Yes, dance is something that will always be in my life. But one day I had to grow up and see that I don't need to follow in her footsteps. Getting accepted was enough for me. I don't exactly fit that classy role as a prima ballerina."

"Fine, have it your way. Are you planning on hanging around here for a bit longer? I would like you to at least stay long enough to get Hana up to par before the auditions. I'll pay you the normal going rate for the private lessons and for any other classes you decide to pick up the slack for."

"I'll stay."

"Good. I'm happy to hear that." She crossed her arms over her chest to lean against the wall right beside her.

"Don't give me that look."

"What look?"

"The one that you are giving me right now? I'm not going to fall for it. Don't even think about brining her up either because I'm not her. No matter how hard you try, I won't ever be like her." Once again she glanced down at her watch curing under her breath. "Look, I have to go before Tsukushi decides to kill me for being late. I'll see you tomorrow for that 1:30 class, okay?" She hurriedly snatched up her duffle bag at her feet and ran back into the building to change.

As Hitomi watched the exact replica of her former friend rush inside, she thought to herself how much of a fool she really was. Nothing in this world could ever bring back her best friend. Perhaps that is where she failed in her expectations. Filling a child's head with so many dreams only to have them grow up and realize that the whole time they were being manipulated was an entirely careless act on her part. She never once asked where Sakurako disappeared those two years. A part of her was too afraid to ask, too afraid to know she had failed her friend.

"Emi would probably hate me for what I let her daughter do or not do," she whispered to herself.

Although part of the damage was not entirely on her part, there were a lot of things she had done wrong. To let someone at her age make so many of those life altering decisions on her own and acting as the consoling friend was her mistake. The generational difference was much too large. She should have remembered what a girl at her age would have done- keep the specifics to a minimum.

In that aspect she had failed as an adult learning one of the harder lessons in life. Hitomi was no stranger to disappointment and fallen expectations. The end of her professional career wasn't expected. Her own youthful arrogance ignored all the warning signs to pull back, but she was so close and too far gone to do so. She put her career on the line and lost it all in one bad fall in one bad performance. No one wanted a dancer with a knee that was almost completely shot. But she took it all in stride, never once allowing herself to feel self-pity. She left with some of her dignity intact and the warning that she was lucky her wasn't completely blown. It was the life of someone in her profession. One day you are on the top of the world, the next you are nothing.

Mediocrity suited her fine, though. When one plan fails, there is always that back up plan and the dance school was her saving grace. If she couldn't dance on stage in front of hundreds then one of her students would. That was the delicate balance to which she found purpose in life. To live vicariously through others can be gratifying in seeing your work flourish, but at the same time, it can be your downfall to see your student fail.

Sakurako was her glowing pride of her teaching career. So much promise, and that personal connection to her long time friend had clouded her judgment to let the child do as she pleased. Most likely that choice to let her make her own choices had led to the destruction of Sakurako's ambitions. The lights and glamour of the city had drawn her away from her self toward the path of self-righteous destruction. There was no one to really blame but Sakurako. She didn't possess the same passion her mother did.

You can't force someone to want something so badly until it hurts.

-------------------------------------------

Tsukushi uneasily closed the door behind her. She leaned up against the door to gather her bearings. After the long discussion between Shizuka, Rui, and her, a lot had been settled. Not everything, but most of the major details. Rui was already prepared for the onslaught of work that would come his way. He was taking it all rather well.

"Thank you for not telling him," Shizuka breathed. She collapsed onto the couch. During their entire conversation she had been on edge. Silently and anxiously she waited for the moment Tsukushi would shift from her innocuous behavior to a vengeful one wreaking havoc with the exposure of their agreement. She prayed to god that it would not come up, and he had probably heard her prayers when Tsukushi made no mention of their agreement.

The last thing she wanted was to get involved in Rui and Shizuka's relationship. Successfully extricating herself once was difficult enough. To get involved a second time would just be asking for some kind of cruel punishment. "I had a feeling you never told him," Tsukushi sighed. She turned to the weary woman. "I'm not going to be the one to tell him the truth. I don't care if you ever do, but in my opinion, if you guys have any shot in making that marriage you're planning to work, you need to tell him sooner or later. Sooner would be nice."

"I've tried. Tons of times I've tried, but it just never came out." Something around her heart constricted brining about a heavy feeling of dread and loss. "I shouldn't even be talking to you about this."

She nodded her head. "Yeah, you shouldn't. But I am willing to listen and tell you what I think from an objective standpoint."

"I really don't think objective would work out between us."

"There was a time when you felt you could tell me almost anything. Well, anything except you and Rui going on behind my brother's back." The last comment came out more as a joke than an accusation to lighten up the mood. "I'm not really mad anymore about you and Rui being together. Seeing you two together for so long seems sort of natural now. Seeing you with my brother seemed right, too, at the time. It's hard to explain really, but something makes you work with them. I don't know. I'm just rambling now."

"Sometimes you find yourself at that crossroads. You can distinctly see that two paths are right in front of you with their vague foreshadowing of what life would have been. In some respect, I'll never know what lay ahead on either road with which man I could have gone with. Rui and I got together more on default. I don't regret loving him, but sometimes I think about what life could have been like."

"I could have seen you and Susumu working on at least a second or third child by now," Tsukushi laughed. "Remember how he had that absurd idea about eight to ten children. He always wanted a big family. He needed some kind of security growing up by himself with only a father and Tama for most of his childhood."

Shizuka giggled recalling the repetitive requests on Susumu's parts for tons of children. Although he was partial to the process of making children to begin with, so that didn't really much dampen his plans. "He always was so understanding about everything. He knew how much my career meant to me. All he asked was for one child that would come from both of us, and the rest he wanted to adopt. His plan was to be the stay at home dad if it required. He would have moved heaven and earth to make me happy."

"I could imagine him with an apron on in the kitchen humming to himself while making lunches for the kids. Whatever role he placed himself in, he could do it."

"As crazy as it sounds, I would have gladly given him ten children. I would have been the mom and the wife. I know when I'm selfish when I say I wouldn't give my life right now up for Rui. He's just like Susumu wanting a family of his own. I just don't think I can give that to him."

She could feel the raw stinging sensation in the back of her throat. The barrage of memories overwhelmed her. It was her fault that Rui developed his needs for family and all that. Kaya was just one of the few reasons why Rui settled down and recognized his role as a father. He wanted more, though, something that Shizuka couldn't and wouldn't give him. Looking at Shizuka in the dimly lit room, she could see the same traces of sadness that brushed her brother's features.

Tsukushi knew that look very well. It took her years to figure out what that small hint of something amiss was. That was the day she learned not to hate Shizuka, but to pity her for the poor wretch she was. Yes, her brother had sworn that he would do everything in his power to make Shizuka comfortable and happy for as long as she stayed with him. He undeniably adored her, but love was an entirely different subject. She pinpointed it all back to that day that everything became crystal clear as to where he stood in his feelings. There was no preamble to his violent outburst of raw emotion. The fact that it happened was enough proof as to where his intentions lie.

Shizuka brushed away the straw tear that managed to fall. "Susumu loved me, but never as much as he did her. You were always smarter than me in that aspect. At least you were level headed enough to realize what Rui was doing. I wasn't. I didn't want to believe it. It's harsh to realize you'll always be second best to someone else. But I would have taken it for what it was because he was my first. Life's cruel like that, ya know? We're always competing in a game we can't win."

Her admission was openly frank and honest. It was the first time Tsukushi had ever recalled Shizuka confessing to the knowledge of her brother's past and her own relationship with him. It was hard to hate her now. She would never fully comprehend what her brother was doing when he refused to leave a woman that cheated on him. He believed so strongly in marrying Shizuka that he had even outright refused his sister's requests to leave her. Perhaps in retrospect, it all made sense.

Susumu wanted her back because they were even. All along he carried the guilt that his heart silently cheated on Shizuka. He did learn to love her, but at the drop of a hat, he would have gone running to his first love if the opportunity presented itself. Shizuka wasn't his first choice. As was Rui not Shizuka's and Tsukushi was not Rui's. They all crept around those minor details letting them secretly taint all the relationships.

As if her meager words could offer any consolation Tsukushi offered them anyway. "He would have loved you enough to marry you and build a life with you."

"I know he would have," she replied with a tearful response. "Why else do you think I agreed to not give up the club sooner. I'm such a fool. I couldn't even let go of the club because it as all I had left of him."

"Are you ever going to tell Rui, then?"

"I have to. It is the right thing to do, but not now. Not when he's so happy. He still believes I refused to sell the club because it was leverage to allow Rui to gain some custody over Kaya. All along we've fooled him into believing our ruse. I could have let the club go to you at any time, but I didn't. I knew you wouldn't let it go either. I always assumed you would never do this. Now you spring this on me."

"You can't say you didn't see it coming."

"I can't, can I? I'll tell him when I'm ready, and it will be the right time." She resolutely stood up and firmly nodded her head. "I won't make the same mistake twice."

"I hope not."

"No, Rui deserves to know what he's getting into. He's going to be hurt by this, but it's to be expected."

The voice inside her head screamed at her not to ask. To ask would leave to the inevitable answer, which she didn't want to know the answer to. However, her curiosity would always get the better of her. "Before he… he asked you something. Did you ever answer him?"

Shizuka sighed to herself. She had been doing a lot of that lately. It was a heavy loaded question. From the edge in Tsukushi's wary voice, it was obvious that either answer would be hard to stomach. So, she chose to respond with a sad look upon her face and walked away mumbling, "It doesn't matter now."

"Do me a favor?" Tsukushi weakly asked.

"What?"

"Don't love my brother."

She nodded her head and ducked out the door. A wordless gasp escaped her lips to see Rui standing in front of her. "Hi," she breathed. Panic overtook her wondering if he had managed to overhear any of the conversation going on inside the office.

"Are you okay? You seem a little shaken." He reached forward and noted the slight hesitation she took to his touch.

"I'm fine," she answered brushing past him. She winced realizing her mistake from recoiling from his innocent gesture. Somehow she mustered a barely decent smile to reassure him.

He raised an eyebrow studying her. Although she was repeatedly trying to show him she was fine something was amiss. However, her manner of behavior and the one of her voice warned him against pressing her any further. He settled for kissing her on the head whispering a muffled, "I love you."

"I love you, too."

-----------------------------------------------

They all gathered around the small table in the center of what once used to be the dance floor. The club was eerily quiet for a Saturday night. Normally the place would be alive and teeming with drunken patrons grinding and swarming the room. The music would be pumped up at full volume deafening the senses. The lingering smells of alcohol, sweat, cologne, and perfume would be wafting through the air. Now when it was just their small party, it seemed so empty and lonely.

"I kind of missed this," Akira spoke up. He glanced around the table with his arms folded across his chest. "One big, happy dysfunctional family back together. Let's all have one big group hug."

"Keep your hands away from me, Akira," Soujiro warned. He shifted his chair away from him. "You always try to find some excuse to get your hands on my ass."

"How did he? Why would he touch your ass?" Tsukushi asked incredulously.

"I don't know why. All I know was that he was into some pretty firm as grabbing."

"I did not grab your ass!"

"Oh, I remember that. He was trying to steal his wallet," Rui interjected. "That was the time I dared you to try to steal Soujiro's wallet."

Tsukushi turned her head towards Rui. "Why did you dare him to steal Soujiro's wallet?"

"That was after he dared me to grab Sakurako's breast. Although it wasn't that hard."

"Oh man, I remember that!" Akira howled. He bowled over into fits of laughter. "That was after during the time we dared Thomas to lick Tsuyoshi."

Yuuki bust out in laughter after hearing that one. "I think I remember that. You guys were daring each other to do stuff?"

Thomas groaned and covered his face with his hands. "Junpei was the one who started it when he dared me to spank Rui. So, I dared him to pants Akira. And that led to…"

"Okay, we don't need to hear anymore!" Tsukushi exclaimed. "Where's Sakurako?"

"Here I am!" she screamed running through the doorway. She dropped her duffel bag at her feet and slid into the empty seat beside Tsukasa all while flashing him a brief smile.

Tsukasa shifted slightly in his seat. There was something unnerving in the way that Sakurako was looking at him lately. He didn't know what the look meant, but it oddly resembled the look she got before she was about to devour something tasty.

"So everyone's here now." Shizuka counted the faces around the table to make sure.

"Yeah, this is everyone," Tsuksuhi agreed. She took a deep breath preparing herself for the pandemonium that was about to break out.

Might as well get it all out.

"So, as we've all noticed, the club is not temporarily out of order at this moment in time. You might have also noticed that most of the furniture and perishable goods have been cleared out. There sis a very good reason for all of this." She pulled out the detailed sketches the contractor has gladly supplied her as a visual to the construction job. Unfurling it for the first time, she awaited for the response.

"Shit!" Akira cursed. "What is this?" Like a kid on Christmas day he jumped out of his seat and leaned over the drawing pouring over each and every panel.

Everyone else followed with the same interest.

Shizuka decided to step in and explain. "This is what Last Resort will look like in three weeks from now. I've only seen these plans a few hours ago, but if I can recall how Susumu described to me back when he first thought this grand scheme up, we are looking at expanding our current space by a few hundred square feet." She pointed to the elaborate drawings of different rooms. "These here are the new rooms that will be rebuilt on the second floor."

"But we closed off the second floor a long time ago."

"Yes we did, Jiro," Tsukushi continued. "But if we are in any way going to pull off Hiro's bachelor party, then we are going to need to open up those rooms to accommodate his needs."

"Shit! We're doing the bachelor party," Akira excitedly yelped. "Oh man, this is gonna be great." He was beginning to practically salivate.

"What party?" Yuuki asked. She furrowed her eyebrows, but inside she was becoming more anxious by the second of what was coming.

"You remember Hiro. Shimizu Hiro. I think he used to come in once a week with a bunch of other guys Susumu hung out with."

"Oh, I kind of recall him. He was the only guy I ever met who liked to drink windex."

"Windex?" Tsukasa asked with a look of distaste.

"Not that kind of windex. It's a mix of lime juice, blue curacao, triple sec, and vodka."

"Gah," Sakurako moaned. "Those are nasty."

"Can we get back to the point?"

"Let's try to keep on track like Thomas suggested," Tsukushi sighed in exasperation. It always seemed that whenever they gathered in large groups disjointed tangents ran rampant. "I've already set up plans with the contractor and his crew will be working nonstop the next few weeks to get this place up to par. It shouldn't take so long considering the exorbitant amount of money I'm paying him and the foresight my brother had in terms of the minor construction and demo work involved. The first thing that needs to be fixed is the bar and the floors in here. The electricians and plumbers have already cleaned up whatever was falling apart from the accident. From the plans in front of you there are going to minor changes such as the fact the bar will now be located over here." She pointed to a space on the south end of the room. "To improve the flow of moving inventory during the night, there's going to be a trap door built into the ground connecting to the cellar. That is why you boys so graciously were ordered to move all the inventory down there."

"Don't remind me," Tsukasa griped. He stared with keen interest at all the plans to make between use of the space. His innate business sense told him it was an ingenious idea to maximize the real estate and would probably bring up the value a few grand. "So, how are you going to pay for all of this?"

"That leads me to the next part of the changes that will taking place. We still have a little bit left in the rainy day fund to pay for the first installment of the construction. I also have a meeting scheduled with Hiro's best man to discuss the logistics and price of his party. I've already talked Hiro into giving me a small advance when we agree to the terms the party alone should cover most of the bills if we play our cards right. Junpei, I need you to increase security. That is a primary need as we've seen from our previous mistake. Akira, I need you to make a few calls to the girls. We need to get some dancers in here for the party. Soujiro, I can rely on you to make a few deals with our liquor supplier. Yuuki, I need someone to go shopping for the new furniture. I already have a rough sketch that Susumu made in terms of décor. Tsuyoshi, Kin, Rui, and Thomas, you four need to work on our sound system. Shizuka will be working on getting the word out that we're back in business. I think that about covers it."

"What am I doing?" Sakurako asked.

"Oh, right. I need you to screen the entertainment. I was planning for an open call next week to see what we've got." She flipped open her palm pilot and jotted down a few more notes. "Tomorrow I've got a meeting with the insurance people about seeing if we can get some money to pay for the damages. After that I have to meet with Amon."

"Fuck no are you meeting with him," Akira protested. "You can't go to him."

She was expecting him to quickly argue over her decision. "I have no choice, Akira. He's got the best dancers in the city."

Akira petulantly refused to be change his assertion. "The guy has some weird thing for you and I don't like it."

"I can handle, Amon." Her tone set a finality to the argument. At the moment, pleasing Akira's childish desires was not on her high end of priorities. "If it makes you feel better I'll take Tsukasa with me."

"Me? Why me?"

"Because if Akira shows up, he won't be able to control himself around a guy like Amon."

"The guy gets under my skin," Akira groused. "The bastard knows exactly the right buttons to push."

"And you let him push them knowing that," she argued. "Onto the next order of business. We need to really pull in as much cash as possible in the next month to pay things off. We're going back to our old ways."

They all looked on expectantly secretly becoming more and more excited by the changes Tsukushi was enforcing. Everyone except for Tsukasa knew exactly what that meant. It was a matter of returning to running the place the same way Susumu had. This involved in a collaborative group effort. There were no rules. They made them, so hell would break lose.

"We're all in this together. Any ideas? The floor is open."

"We can do a open mike night," Thomas suggested. "I know a few bands have been begging for a chance to play here with the volume we get. We can sort of force the bands to pay a small fee for the time slots. It works out both ways. We get paid and they get some play time in one of the most exclusive clubs in the city."

"Okay. So, I assume you'll be taking care of auditioning the bands. Anyone else?"

Yuuki raised her hand when an idea came to mind. "We could do some kind of contest thing. You know, charge people a fee to enter and give some kind of prize from a percentage of the takings. How about a karaoke contest?"

"Oh god, imagine all the bad singers we would get?"

"Wait a second, Kin. That could work. If we charge the person who pays has got to be pretty damn good to put their money where their mouth is. What if we put all of the entrants against one of our own? Then the crowd decides who wins."

Thomas' grin widened. "Hands down that is easy money if Shizuka is who they're up against."

"I'm game," Shizuka announced.

"We have plenty of time to think of other ideas," Tsukushi interrupted. "I think our first priority is to get people back in here and maneuver around all the construction work. Our sound system is shot, so for now, how about we do some music unplugged. Thomas?" she pleaded. She put on a pathetic wounded puppy dog face.

"No way!"

"Come on! Gah! Get that face away from me."

"Thomas!" she whined. "You know you want t play unplugged. It's been so long since you actually performed."

"What? Thomas used to sing?" Yuuki asked. Her interest was piqued. She turned to him. "I don't remember you ever playing for the club."

"That's because he stopped playing a short time after we got you and Sakurako."

"I want to hear you, Thomas. I want to see you in action."

"You're really missing out, Yuuki. Thomas used to bring the house down."

"I'd love to play some of your stuff, Tom," Kin stated.

"Yeah, it's been a while since we played some decent stud. No offense, girls" Tsuyoshi added.

"Why do I feel that my band is turning against me?" Thomas vehemently shook his head refusing to fall for their trap. An idea to get out of it began to quickly form. "Okay," he smirked to himself. "If I do this, then I want you to sing too, Tsukushi."

"Ooooh! He's got you."

"Do you think I'm scared by that, Soujiro? You got a deal, then. If you sing, then I'll sing."

"What?!" Thomas stammered. Never in a million years did he think that plan would backfire on him. He knew for a fact that Tsukushi was adamant about never singing in public again. Then a again, she did make it seem that whatever events they planned were on a do or die basis. "I think I just screwed myself over."

"You did big time," Rui snickered. "So is that all. Is this meeting adjourned?"

"Rui! I'm supposed to say that."

"Sorry."

"Okay, that's about it. Meeting adjourned.

The sound of chairs scraping against the ground and animated whispers set the tone for the building excitement in the air. A few stayed behind to straighten out some details with Tsukushi. Akira had already run off to make his calls for favors, but first rushed to drop Sakurako off at home. Thomas was dragged out by Yuuki, who attempted in vain to warm him up on the idea of performing. Soujiro followed them from behind with a scowl on his face at seeing them getting along so well. Rui and Shizuka lingered a few moments to talk over some final plans.

Soon it was just Tsukasa and Tsukushi alone in the darkened club. They walked together in companionable silence as she made her rounds turning off the lights and locking up.

"Something makes me think that all this talk about going back to old ways isn't going to be pretty," declared. His arm reached over her to push the light switch before she could touch it. "You won't strain yourself, will you? I don't feel like being the one to lug your body around like last time. You are quite heavy."

"What?! I am not heavy."

"Sure, whatever you say. I swear, I almost pulled something when I had to pick up your unconscious body."

"I may have one arm in a sling, but the other is perfectly fine to smack you with." As a warning she lightly slapped him on the arm. She pulled her car keys from her pocket and tossed them at him. "You drive," she ordered.

"How did you drive here to begin with? You only have one good arm."

"It took me some time."

"You know you could have gotten yourself killed."

"So I've been told many times by you. One might come to think you care for little old me. Is Tsukasa getting a widdle crush on me?" she teased.

"Please, like I would like a mad woman like you."

"Come on. I know you dream about me knowing I'm sleeping only a few doors down from you."

She stepped aside to let him open the car door for her. When the door was opened, she nodded in thanks and got into her seat. She leaned over and unlocked the driver side door.

"More like I try to imagine how those ungodly sounds come out of you when you snore like a blow horn." He slid into the driver's seat and started up the car. He noticed she hadn't buckled her seat belt and leaned over her to buckle it for her.

"Thanks. And I do not snore. If it's any one of us, you are the one who snores. God, look at what I endure. The man snores. He scolds me all the time like a mother hen about safety. Plus, he ate the last ho ho this morning. Don't even get me started on how he uses up all the hot water in the bathroom."

"I do not. Stp talking about me as if I'm not here. I have a separate bathroom from yours, so the amount of water I use shouldn't matter."

"The plumbing is connected throughout he entire apartment. The genius who built the place thought it would be okay if everything shared the same pipes. I thought only women could spend so much time in the bathroom. What the hell do you do in there? Strike that. I don't want to know." She cast a cautious look in his direction.

"If you don't stop arguing with me I might crash this car into a pole and kill both of us. Geez, do you like arguing with me or something."

"Yes, I do. It's quite good fun." She then proceeded to hum to herself.

"It's times like these I'm reminded to stay away from women like you."

"Women like me?"

"Yeah, the kind that will suck the life right out of you, you succubus."

"Trying to intimidate me with name calling doesn't work."

"Can't you be quiet," he growled gripping at the steering wheel.

"My car, so I can talk as much as I want. Did you know that when you get annoyed this vein pops out at the side of your forehead?"

"Where?!" Tsukasa immediately began to look in the rear view mirror while the car was stopped at a red light.

"Such vanity."

"I should toss you out of this car right now."

"You should, but you won't. You need to loosen up once in awhile."

"You need to get some sanity."

"That's the key to everything, Tsukasa." She grinned to herself. "Spend all your time trying to get some sort of sanity and enjoy the insanity it brings."

"That makes no sense."

"I don't need to. But you like my banter. I have to make up for ignoring you these last few days. I won't shut up until I've gotten it out of my system."

"Please, shut up," he begged. "Now I know why you're kid can be so annoying." He pulled the car to a stop as he parked the car into its parking space in the underground lot. Automatically he ran to the other side of the car to open her door for her. "I just want to go get some sleep."

"So you can dream more about me?" Tsukushi slyly asked. The doors to the elevator opened and she stepped in.

Tsukasa followed in after him. A brief silence ensued between them as the elevator ascended.

"Back to your first question. You're right what we are going to do is not going to be pretty." Tsukushi stepped out of the elevator and walked ahead to open the front door. Dropping her things on the coffee table, she tossed her shoes off next to the couch.

"I had a feeling it wasn't." Tsukasa flopped onto the couch. Although he was tired, his hand reached for the television remote and turned it on. He thought a few hours of watching mindless television wouldn't hurt him.

Tsukushi walked over to the television and lowered the volume. She briefly checked in to see that Kaya was asleep as well as Tama in the spare futon on the floor. She decided against waking Tama up to walk her back to her apartment a few floors below. Turning back to the living room she walked past Tsukasa who was deeply immersed in watching the news.

"You should really get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow we have a big day."

"Sure."

She shook her head. He was probably going to stay up all night watching junk on television before she would have to come out in a few hours and turn off the television while he slept soundlessly on the couch. It had happened the last few nights. As she prepared for bed, she thought back to everything to that occurred that day. It certainly was a strange on at that.

However, as she burrowed under the covers of her bed a smile overcame her.

"Sometimes change can be good."

-------------------------------------------------------

AN: Thus, ends another chapter that I think really had no point but useless banter towards the end. I've been away too long. I forgot how to write. Please ignore the typos. There are probably tons of them. I posted this unedited to get it out faster. Next chapter will hopefully be finished next weekend.


End file.
